nasturtium

noun

nas·​tur·​tium nə-ˈstər-shəm How to pronounce nasturtium (audio)
na-
: any of a genus (Tropaeolum of the family Tropaeolaceae, the nasturtium family) of herbs of Central and South America with showy spurred flowers and pungent edible seeds and leaves
especially : either of two widely cultivated ornamentals (T. majus and T. minus)

Illustration of nasturtium

Illustration of nasturtium

Examples of nasturtium in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The suzuki tartare has become a staff and fan favorite with Japanese sea bass, a chile and soybean paste plus tiny nasturtium lily pads. Louisa Kung Liu Chu, Chicago Tribune, 7 Oct. 2024 Zimmerman says this time of year is great for foliage, too, like nasturtium and love-in-a-puff vines, grasses (think millet, oats, and miscanthus, or silvergrass), and seed pods such as poppies and wisteria. Blake Bakkila, Sunset Magazine, 23 Sep. 2024 Swap out traditional groundcovers with edible options like creeping thyme, alpine strawberries, nasturtiums, or oregano to add functionality and flavor around your home. Anne Readel, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 Aug. 2024 My favorites include calendula, poppies, nasturtium, chard, and delphinium flowers. Katie Boué, Outside Online, 5 Aug. 2024 See all Example Sentences for nasturtium 

Word History

Etymology

Latin, a cress

First Known Use

1704, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of nasturtium was in 1704

Dictionary Entries Near nasturtium

Cite this Entry

“Nasturtium.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nasturtium. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

nasturtium

noun
nas·​tur·​tium nə-ˈstər-shəm How to pronounce nasturtium (audio)
na-
: any of a genus of herbs with showy flowers and edible sharp-tasting seeds and leaves

More from Merriam-Webster on nasturtium

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!