lonicera
lonicera Lexical Profile
lonicera Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A large genus of ornamental shrubs and twining vines in the family Caprifoliaceae, native to the Northern Hemisphere and commonly known as honeysuckles, noted for their fragrant, tubular flowers.
"The horticulturist decided to introduce a hardy species of lonicera to provide both ground cover and vertical interest on the garden wall."
An individual plant belonging to the genus Lonicera.
"She carefully pruned the overgrown lonicera that was beginning to choke out the surrounding native flora."
Word Nuance & Usage
In everyday conversational English, plants in this genus are almost universally referred to by their common name, 'honeysuckle'. The term 'lonicera' is primarily reserved for botanical, academic, and horticultural contexts.
• Rhymes for lonicera
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Modern Latin, named by Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus in 1753 in honor of the 16th-century German physician and botanist Adam Lonicer (or Lonitzer).
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.