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pelargonium

American  
[pel-ahr-goh-nee-uhm, -er-] / ˌpɛl ɑrˈgoʊ ni əm, -ər- /

noun

  1. any plant of the genus Pelargonium, the cultivated species of which are usually called geranium.


pelargonium British  
/ ˌpɛləˈɡəʊnɪəm /

noun

  1. any plant of the chiefly southern African geraniaceous genus Pelargonium, having circular or lobed leaves and red, pink, or white aromatic flowers: includes many cultivated geraniums

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of pelargonium

1810–20; < New Latin < Greek pelargó ( s ) stork + ( gerá ) nion geranium


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.

See Examples For:

Unsurprisingly, then, the scent many of us know as geranium — mossy, deeply green and medicinal — is, in fact, extracted from the leaves of pelargonium graveolens.

From New York Times ● Jul. 28, 2021

That original pelargonium later died but, thanks to Gamble’s keen propagating, he was able to return the favor and provide his friend with a cutting from its offspring.

From New York Times ● Jul. 28, 2021

The plant commonly known as a geranium, he explains, is actually a pelargonium, a different genus entirely.

From New York Times ● Jul. 28, 2021

“Just this year alone, we have had one little pelargonium stolen and a haemanthus South African bulb dug out from its pot, which was the last one we had in the collection,” says Snowball.

From The Guardian ● Jan. 15, 2020

"I do too," said Edgar, without taking in the true sense of the words, and he pointed to the prettiest flowers in the bouquet, and said: "these are the flowers of the pelargonium diadematum coccineum."

From The Cross of Berny by Florence Fendall

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