nasturtium

[ na-stur-shuhm, nuh- ]

noun

1. any plant of the genus Tropaeolum, cultivated for its showy, usually orange, red, or yellow flowers or for its fruit, which is pickled and used like capers.

nasturtium

/ nəˈstɜːʃəm /

noun

1. any of various plants of the genus Tropaeolum, esp T. major, having round leaves and yellow, red, or orange trumpet-shaped spurred flowers: family Tropaeolaceae

Word History and Origins

Origin of nasturtium¹

First recorded in 1560–70; from Latin nāsturtium, nāsturcium the name of a kind of cress, taken to mean, perhaps by Latin folk etymology, “something that twists the nose” (referring to its acrid smell), from Latin nāsus nose ( def ) + tormentum (derivative of torquēre “to twist”) torment ( def ) + -ium ( def )

Word History and Origins

Origin of nasturtium¹

C17: from Latin: kind of cress, from nāsus nose + tortus twisted, from torquēre to twist, distort; so called because the pungent smell causes one to wrinkle one's nose

Example Sentences

The flowers, buds, and leaves of nasturtium plants are all safe to eat, and they have a peppery bite that sets them apart from other edible blooms.

From Popular-Science

If the bright orange flowers with darker orange and red streaks in the centers don’t tip you off, nasturtium also has distinctive leaves.

From Popular-Science

In this course pretty nearly everything will be pickled, down to nasturtium buds and radish pods.

From Project Gutenberg

Then there is a salmon salad encircled by water cress or nasturtium leaves, and at intervals, dainty mounds of potato salad.

From Project Gutenberg

Some persons have had their skin inflamed by handling the garden nasturtium.

From Project Gutenberg

The nasturtium bloomed early in the month—first a red one then a yellow one, then a lot of red and yellow ones.

From Project Gutenberg

Drenched were the cold fuchsias, round pearls of dew lay on the flat nasturtium leaves.

From Project Gutenberg