rosella
rosella Lexical Profile
rosella Game Scores & Validity
• noun
Australian Any of several species of brightly colored, broad-tailed parrots in the genus Platycercus, native to Australia and some surrounding islands.
"A pair of crimson rosellas perched briefly in the eucalyptus tree before flying off across the valley."
Australian A species of hibiscus (Hibiscus sabdariffa) cultivated in tropical and subtropical regions for its edible, fleshy red calyces, which are widely used to make tart teas, syrups, and jams.
"Every summer, my grandmother boils down a large pot of freshly picked rosella to make her famous sweet and tart jam."
• Rhymes for rosella
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
The bird's name originated in the late 18th century as a corruption of 'Rosehill' (an early colonial name for Parramatta, near Sydney, Australia), where settlers first observed the 'Rosehill parakeet'. The plant's name is an alteration of 'roselle', deriving from the French 'roselle'.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.