oleander
oleander Lexical Profile
oleander Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A poisonous evergreen shrub (Nerium oleander) of the dogbane family Apocynaceae, native to the Mediterranean region and southern Asia, widely cultivated in warm climates for its narrow leathery leaves and showy terminal clusters of fragrant white, pink, or red five-petaled flowers.
"Rows of pink and white oleanders lined the sun-drenched highway along the Mediterranean coast."
The showy, funnel-shaped blossom or flower cluster of the oleander shrub, prized for ornamental landscaping despite the high toxicity of the plant's sap and foliage.
"She admired the vibrant crimson oleanders blooming against the whitewashed garden wall, careful not to touch their toxic stems."
• Rhymes for oleander
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed in the 16th century from Medieval Latin oleander, likely derived from Late Latin lorandrum (altered by folk-etymological association with Latin olea, meaning 'olive tree', due to the similarity of their narrow, leathery leaves), ultimately from Ancient Greek rhododendron ('rose tree').
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.