verbena

[ ver-bee-nuh ]

/ vərˈbi nə /

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noun

any of various plants of the genus Verbena, especially any of several hybrid species cultivated for their showy flower clusters.Compare verbena family.

any of various other plants, as the lemon verbena or sand verbena.

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Origin of verbena

1560–70; <Medieval Latin verbēna,Latin: leafy twig; see vervain

Words nearby verbena

verbally, verbal noun, verbascum, verbatim, verbatim et literatim, verbena, verbenaceous, verbena family, verbiage, verbicide, verbid

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use verbena in a sentence

Do not keep lemon verbena in too long or it will give the syrup a bitter quality.
Lights, Camera, Cocktails|Brody Brown|July 29, 2011|DAILY BEAST
Half an hour later we crossed the tracks at Verbena and turned into a broad marl road.
In Search of the Unknown|Robert W. Chambers
Water in porous jars, often flavoured with rose-leaves or verbena, is presented by servants as the meal proceeds.
Peeps at Many Lands: Egypt|R. Talbot Kelly
The leaves of the plant emit a strong odor when rubbed, likened to that of the lemon verbena.
The Practical Garden-Book|C. E. Hunn

The insect still hovered over the verbena blossoms, but as the girl drew near it rose and sailed away.
Bee and Butterfly|Lucy Foster Madison
It's a jar of bath salts—verbena—all of which I am going to use.
Up and Down|Edward Frederic Benson

British Dictionary definitions for verbena

verbena

/ (vɜːˈbiːnə) /

noun

any plant of the verbenaceous genus Verbena, chiefly of tropical and temperate America, having red, white, or purple fragrant flowers: much cultivated as garden plantsSee also vervain

any of various similar or related plants, esp the lemon verbena

Word Origin for verbena

C16: via Medieval Latin, from Latin: sacred bough used by the priest in religious acts, vervain

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