Valerianaceae

plural noun

Va·​le·​ri·​a·​na·​ce·​ae

vəˌlirēəˈnāsēˌē

: a family of herbs (order Rubiales) chiefly of temperate regions having opposite leaves and mostly cymose flowers, a regular or irregular corolla and free anthers, and an achene fruit crowned with a persistent calyx border

valerianaceous

⸗¦⸗⸗⸗¦nāshəs

adjective

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from Valeriana, type genus + -aceae

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

• More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
• Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
• Advanced search features
• Ad free!