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geranium Definition

ge·ra·nium (jə rānē əm)

adjective

designating a family (Geraniaceae, order Geraniales) of dicotyledonous plants, including the pelargonium

Etymology: L < Gr geranion, cranesbill, dim. < geranos, a crane < IE base *ger-, echoic of hoarse cry > crane

noun

  1. any of a large genus (Geranium) of plants of the geranium family, having pink or purple flowers, long bill-shaped seeds, and leaves with many lobes; cranesbill
  2. pelargonium: the florist's geranium
  3. an intense red

geranium Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • scent: The fragrance is very subtle, and depends on the variety of scented geranium.
  • rise: Blended with essential oils of frankincense, rose geranium and lavender to calm, soothe and refresh body and mind.
  • grow: Some die in swamps of mysterious tropical diseases, some grow geraniums outside their garages " .
  • include: A range of plants were used including bedding geraniums, petunias, verbena, lobelia, Busy Lizzie and fuchsias.
  • have: Some farm houses had geraniums on the verandas which provided a welcome splash of color.

Adjective modifier

  • hardy: The standard work on the genus of hardy geraniums.
  • pink: Welsh poppies and pink geranium have colonized the gravel below.
  • red: Princess Alexandra's bouquet contained red geraniums, the national flower of Denmark.
  • scarlet: At the top of the hill was an old, ivy-clad church with baskets of scarlet geraniums on the window ledges.
  • leaved: The salmon pink oriental poppy has a lovely dark center, which is mirrored by the black leaved geranium.
  • potted: I am armed with a small potted geranium, which will absorb your goodness, leaving you completely defenseless!

Modifies a noun

  • sylvaticum: Geranium sylvaticum Our own wild cranesbill, comes in shades of white blue or purple flowers in late spring or early summer.
  • pratense: The location of the adult Brown Argus Butterflies on Mill Hill supports the feeding on Meadow Crane's-bill, Geranium pratense.
  • sanguineum: The site has been selected particularly as a representative of the north-eastern variant, in which bloody crane's-bill Geranium sanguineum is prominent.
  • phaeum: Geranium phaeum clump of leaves with flowers held tall above it in shades of deep blackish purple through pink to white.
  • nodosum: Geranium nodosum Shiny green leaves with sparse flowers in purple or lilac.
  • flower: The majority of geraniums flower in the late spring or early summer.

Noun used with modifier

  • crane's-bill: The site has been selected particularly as a representative of the north-eastern variant, in which bloody crane's-bill Geranium sanguineum is prominent.
  • cranesbill: They include many of the new varieties of cranesbill geranium launched in recent years.
  • bedding: The wall pots were set off with bedding Geraniums and a large ready made hanging basket with summer bedding plants set off another wall.
geranium Quotes

Midnight shakes the memory As a madman shakes a dead geranium.

—Eliot,T(homas) S(tearns)

Browse dictionary entries near geranium

  1. geraniol
  2. Gerald
  3. Geraint
  4. gerah
  5. Gera
  6. ger
  7. geotropism
  8. geothermal
  9. geotectonic
  10. geotaxis
  1. Gerard
  2. gerardia
  3. gerbera
  4. gerbil
  5. gerent
  6. gerenuk
  7. gerfalcon
  8. geriatrician
  9. geriatrics
  10. germ