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carnation
(kär nā′s̸hən)
noun
- a popular garden and greenhouse plant (Dianthus caryophyllus) of the pink family, usually with white, pink, or red double flowers that smell like cloves
- the flower of this plant
- a flesh-colored tint formerly used in painting
- moderate to deep red
Origin: MFr < L caro, flesh (see carnal), after OFr incarnation, incarnation; sense infl. by OIt carnagione, flesh-colored < carnaggio
See carnation in American Heritage Dictionary 4
noun
- a. Any of numerous cultivated forms of a perennial plant (Dianthus caryophyllus) having showy, variously colored, usually double, often fragrant flowers with fringed petals.b. A flower of this plant. Also called clove pink.
- A pinkish tint once used in painting.
Origin:
Origin: From obsolete French, flesh-colored
Origin: , from Old French (from Old Italian carnagione, skin, complexion, from carne, flesh)
Origin: or from Late Latin carnātiō, carnātiōn-, flesh
Origin: , both from Latin carō, carn-; see sker-1 in Indo-European roots
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