nasturtium

American  

[na-stur-shuhm, nuh-] / næˈstɜr ʃəm, nə- /

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.

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nasturtium British  

/ 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

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Etymology

Origin of nasturtium

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. )

Example Sentences

“Simple ones to grow are nasturtium for those cabbage whites, the small white and the large white butterflies, and things like sweet rocket for the orange tip butterfly,” she says.

From BBC • Aug. 2, 2024

In one dish that followed, sea buckthorn berries had been broken down into a cool soup in which nasturtium leaves floated like lily pads.

From New York Times • Sep. 29, 2022

Adding catnip, marigold, nasturtium, or rosemary to your bean patch will deter flea and bean beetles.

From Salon • May 30, 2022

In another eye-opener, glistening caviar and prime wagyu beef nestle inside a nasturtium cup.

From Washington Post • Feb. 25, 2022

And nasturtium seeds for her garden, and a book of songs to teach us.

From "Sarah, Plain and Tall" by Patricia MacLachlan