rosemary
UK[ˈrəʊzməri]US[ˈroʊzˌmeri]
n
A small evergreen bush with narrow leaves that smell sweet and are used in cooking and medicine.
Morpheme Breakdown
rose
mary
rose
rose
mary
Mary
Etymology
The word 'rosemary' has a deceptively floral origin. It derives from the Latin 'ros marinus', meaning 'dew of the sea', a poetic description of its native habitat along Mediterranean coasts and the appearance of its flowers. In Medieval Latin, this was altered through folk etymology to 'rosmarinus', which was then reinterpreted in English as 'rose of Mary'. This change linked the herb to the Virgin Mary in Christian tradition, reflecting its association with remembrance and purity. Thus, the modern English spelling and morpheme structure directly encode this later religious and cultural association rather than the original Latin meaning.
Analysis
Structure: rose (rose) + mary (Mary)
rose: Latin (rosa), a functional element representing the flower 'rose'.
mary: Latin (Maria), a functional element representing the name 'Mary'.
Examples
Fresh rosemary is often used to season roasted lamb and potatoes.
The garden path was bordered by fragrant bushes of rosemary.
In folklore, rosemary is symbolic of remembrance and fidelity.