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Definition of cotinus
cotinus
/koʊˈtaɪnəs/
co · ti · nus
Plural:cotinuses
cotinus Lexical Profile
CEFR
C2
Grade
11
Tier
3
Usage
Rare
• noun
1
A genus of deciduous shrubs and small trees in the cashew family (Anacardiaceae), native to the Northern Hemisphere and widely cultivated for their spectacular, smoke-like plumes of flowers and vibrant autumn foliage; commonly known as the smoketree or smokebush.
Example
"The landscape architect selected a purple-leafed cotinus to provide a striking, textural contrast in the garden's main border."
Synonyms
View all synonyms for cotinusWord Nuance & Usage
In botanical taxonomy, the word is typically capitalized and italicized as Cotinus to denote the genus, while lowercase 'cotinus' refers informally to the plant itself.
• Rhymes for cotinus
Word Origin & Etymology
From Latin 'cotinus' (a shrub yielding a purple dye), derived from Ancient Greek 'kotinos', meaning 'wild olive tree'.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.
180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer
Cite this Entry
Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Cotinus. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 14, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/cotinus