hollyhock

American  

[hol-ee-hok, -hawk] / ˈhɒl iˌhɒk, -ˌhɔk /

noun

1. any of several plants belonging to the genus Alcea (orAlthaea ), of the mallow family, native to Eurasia, especially A. rosea, a tall plant having a long cluster of showy, variously colored flowers.

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hollyhock British  

/ ˈhɒlɪˌhɒk /

noun

1. Also called (US): rose mallow.  a tall widely cultivated malvaceous plant, Althaea rosea, with stout hairy stems and spikes of white, yellow, red, or purple flowers

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Etymology

Origin of hollyhock

1225–75; Middle English holihoc, equivalent to holi holy + hoc mallow, Old English hocc

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

hollyhock

Mixing old and new is important, she says, referring to the House of Hackney hollyhock pattern she recently added to the walls of the living room and bedrooms, as well as the dining room lampshade.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 27, 2026

Animals may raid my flower beds; a storm may knock down a freshly planted hollyhock.

From Washington Post ● Jan. 19, 2023

The pollen grains of various common plants like sunflower, morning glories, prairie hollyhock, oriental lily, evening primrose and castor bean — magnified 500 times and colorized in this image — display intricate patterns.

From Salon ● Sep. 23, 2022

It has a "sun-blistered green bench and tables ... shapely white windows" and a "row of upshooting hollyhock plants".

From The Guardian ● Jul. 8, 2010

Annie Oakley always made hers very homey, with a garden outside of primrose, geranium, and hollyhock.

From "The Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson