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Definition of nasturtium
nasturtium
/nəˈstɜːr.ʃəm/
nas · tur · tium
Plural:nasturtiums
nasturtium Lexical Profile
CEFR
C1
Grade
8
Tier
2
Usage
Rare
nasturtium Game Scores & Validity
Scrabble US
Scrabble UK
WWF
Wordle Guess
• noun
1
A trailing or climbing plant of the genus Tropaeolum, native to the Americas, characterized by round, shield-shaped leaves and brightly colored, spurred flowers that are edible and possess a peppery flavor.
Example
"She garnished the summer salad with bright orange and yellow nasturtium blossoms."
Synonyms
View all synonyms for nasturtiumWord Nuance & Usage
In botanical nomenclature, 'Nasturtium' is actually the genus name for watercress, whereas the familiar garden flower commonly called the nasturtium belongs to a completely different genus, 'Tropaeolum'.
Word Origin & Etymology
From Latin 'nasturtium' (a type of cress), traditionally derived from 'naris' (nose) and 'torquere' (to twist), referring to the facial expression one might make in response to its pungent, peppery smell.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.
180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer
Cite this Entry
Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Nasturtium. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 15, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/nasturtium