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Definition of gillenia
gillenia
/dʒɪˈliːniə/
gil · le · ni · a
Plural:gillenias
gillenia Lexical Profile
CEFR
C2
Grade
12
Tier
3
Usage
Rare
• noun
1
North American A small genus of perennial herbaceous plants in the rose family (Rosaceae), native to the dry woodlands of eastern North America, distinguished by their deeply lobed leaves and delicate, star-shaped white or pale pink flowers. They are commonly known as Bowman's root or Indian physic.
Example
"The horticulturist decided to plant gillenia in the shaded woodland border for its airy, star-like blooms."
• Rhymes for gillenia
Word Origin & Etymology
Named in 1802 by German botanist Conrad Moench in honor of Arnoldus Gillenius (1586-1633), a German physician and botanist.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.
180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer
Cite this Entry
Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Gillenia. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 14, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/gillenia