evening stock
evening stock Lexical Profile
• noun
A highly fragrant annual plant (Matthiola longipetala) of the mustard family, native to Eurasia and widely cultivated in gardens for its pale flowers that open and emit a strong, sweet scent in the evening.
"She planted evening stock near the patio so they could enjoy its sweet fragrance during summer nights."
Word Nuance & Usage
Often referred to interchangeably with 'night-scented stock', it is distinguished from other garden stocks by its habit of keeping its flowers closed and relatively inconspicuous during the daytime.
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
The name combines 'evening', referring to its nocturnal blooming and scent release, with 'stock', derived from Old English 'stocc' (trunk or stem), historically used to refer to various woody-stemmed garden plants like gillyflowers.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.