oleander
Americannoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of oleander
1540–50; < Medieval Latin oleander, oliandrum, obscurely akin to Late Latin laurandrum, perhaps a conflation of Latin laurus laurel and rhododendron rhododendron
Vocabulary lists containing oleander
"How It Feels to Be Colored Me"
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Vocabulary from Readings 2, Unit 4
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Vocabulary from Readings, Unit 5
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Oleandrin comes from Nerium oleander, a shrub that is deadly to humans; scientists warned the New York Times that the compound was not known to be safe.
From Slate • Dec. 11, 2025
He’d woken up in an oleander bush with no memory of how he’d gotten there.
From Salon • Jan. 7, 2025
Oleandrin is a poisonous substance found in the leaves of the oleander plant.
From Seattle Times • Jul. 11, 2023
A quick survey revealed that until then, the city’s gardeners had relied mainly on three kinds of trees: the palm, the ficus and the oleander, Mudendin recalled.
From Washington Post • Nov. 7, 2021
Ethan maneuvers his truck down the narrow path and we are swallowed up by overgrown oleander, pink and white blooms brushing our windows.
From "The Adoration of Jenna Fox" by Mary E. Pearson
![]()
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.