viburnum
viburnum Lexical Profile
viburnum Game Scores & Validity
• noun
Any of various deciduous or evergreen shrubs and small trees of the genus Viburnum (family Adoxaceae), native primarily to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere and widely cultivated as garden ornamentals for their dense, fragrant clusters or snowball-like heads of white or pink blossoms.
"The landscaper planted a row of fragrant viburnums along the stone wall to provide spring blossoms and autumn foliage."
The small, fleshy, single-seeded berry-like drupe produced by certain species of the genus Viburnum (such as highbush cranberry, nannyberry, or guelder-rose), ripening to red, blue, or black and used in jellies, preserves, and traditional sauces.
"In late autumn, foragers harvest the tart red fruit of the viburnum to make traditional jellies and syrups."
• Rhymes for viburnum
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed directly from classical Latin 'viburnum', the ancient Roman name for the wayfaring tree (Viburnum lantana), likely derived from a root meaning 'to plait or weave' in reference to its flexible twigs.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.