nasturtium
UK[nəˈstɜːʃəm]US[nəˈstɜːrʃəm]
n
a garden plant with round flat leaves and yellow, orange, or red flowers.
n
the flower of this plant.
Morpheme Breakdown
nas
turtium
nas
nose
turtium
twist
Etymology
the word 'nasturtium' has a deceptively literal origin. it is a direct borrowing from latin, where 'nasturtium' was the name for a type of cress. the name itself is a compound, formed from 'nasus' (nose) and 'tortus' (twisted). this combination humorously describes the plant's pungent effect, implying it causes one's nose to twist or wrinkle due to its sharp, peppery taste and smell. when european explorers encountered the vibrant south american flowering plant in the 16th century, they applied this old latin name to it, likely because its leaves also have a similar peppery flavor, thus transferring the "nose-twisting" logic to a new botanical specimen.
Analysis
Structure: nas (nose) + turtium (twist)
nas is from latin 'nasus', meaning 'nose'. turtium is from latin 'tortus', the past participle of 'torquere', meaning 'to twist'.
Examples
the bright orange nasturtiums spilled over the edges of the stone planter.
you can add both the leaves and flowers of the nasturtium to a salad for a peppery kick.
she trained the climbing nasturtium to grow up the trellis beside her door.