Etymo

rhododendron

A flowering shrub or tree with showy clusters of blossoms.

Played on · Day 40 · word 1 of 5

A rose tree in Greek

How rhododendron reached English

oldest first
  • rhodon‘rose’
  • dendron‘tree’

combined

  1. Greek

    rhodódendron

    into Latin

  2. Latin

    rhododendron

    ‘oleander’

    into New Latin

  3. New Latin

    Rhododendron

    into English

  4. English

    rhododendron

The story of rhododendron

The name contains Greek rhodon, rose, and dendron, tree. English received it through scientific Latin, which reused an older plant name.

Older Latin uses included other plant identifications. The scored claim concerns the components, not an exact ancient species.

Source

Merriam-Webster: rhododendron

Word History and Kids Etymology support the Greek components and scientific-Latin route.

Related

The literal name need not be a modern botanical classification.

More words from 15 October 2026

  1. damsonA small dark plum.
  2. quaintAttractively unusual or old-fashioned.
  3. pedigreeA record of ancestry.
  4. cuminAn aromatic spice made from small seeds.

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