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Definition of scaevola

scaevola

/siːˈvoʊlə/
scae · vo · la
Plural:scaevolas
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scaevola Lexical Profile

• noun

1

A genus of tropical and subtropical flowering plants in the family Goodeniaceae, primarily native to Australia and the Indo-Pacific, characterized by distinctive asymmetrical blooms that appear to be cut in half.

Example

"The gardener planted trailing scaevola in the hanging baskets to ensure a vibrant cascade of purple fan-flowers throughout the summer."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for scaevola

• Rhymes for scaevola

• Nearby Words

scabbardfish
scabiosa
scad
scaevola
scafell
scafell pike
scaffold

Word Origin & Etymology

Named by Carl Linnaeus after the legendary Roman hero Gaius Mucius Scaevola (from Latin 'scaeva' meaning left-handed), because the plant's asymmetric, fan-like flowers resemble a hand lacking fingers.

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Scaevola. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 14, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/scaevola
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