A Garden of WordsTimes Books, 1992 - 188 pages For language mavens, a lively exploration of the origins and development of 24 flower names, from aster to zinnia. Barnette weaves together the diverse elements that, over the centuries, have formed each word's colorful etymological history. Elegantly designed and illustrated throughout--a charming gift for language buffs and armchair gardeners. |
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Page 67
... crane . This leggy , long - necked bird was known to the ancient Greeks as a geranos , and its deriv- ative , geranion , was applied to the flower whose long , pointed seed pods resemble a crane's beak . Geranion later was adapted into ...
... crane . This leggy , long - necked bird was known to the ancient Greeks as a geranos , and its deriv- ative , geranion , was applied to the flower whose long , pointed seed pods resemble a crane's beak . Geranion later was adapted into ...
Page 68
... crane's long , pointed bill also led the Romans to apply their name grus , or " crane , " to a type of battering ram . ( Another type of Roman battering ram was called , appropriately enough , an aries . ) The crane's distinctive neck ...
... crane's long , pointed bill also led the Romans to apply their name grus , or " crane , " to a type of battering ram . ( Another type of Roman battering ram was called , appropriately enough , an aries . ) The crane's distinctive neck ...
Page 69
... cranes — an expla- nation supported by the fact that cranberries are also called marsh - berries and fen - berries . The color of the crane's feathers is memorialized in the English expression crane gray , which is , ac- cording to ...
... cranes — an expla- nation supported by the fact that cranberries are also called marsh - berries and fen - berries . The color of the crane's feathers is memorialized in the English expression crane gray , which is , ac- cording to ...
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Common terms and phrases
Akoniti Amaryllis ancient Greek ancient Greek word Anthurium applied aster bird blossom borrowed botanical color columbine comes from Latin crane daisy dandelion denotes derives descendant Dutch English term English word etymological eventually EXORDIUM flea flower name foot form the name French word GARDEN OF WORDS gave rise genus geranium German word gladiolus glish goddess gray Greek myth Hyacinth HYDRANGEA idea Indo-European root inspired the name iris Italian known languages Latin lupus Latin word lily literally means loanword loosestrife loup Lupercalia lupine lussa miterwort modern English nasturtium nicknames nose offspring Old English Old French orchid origin palindrome pansy pearl phrase plant Pliny the Elder poppy Professor Latkovski refers reflected resemble Russian S)PEN Sadako Sasaki Sanskrit scholars shines Similarly someone source of English Spanish star Star jelly stem sword synonym tail testicle thought tulip wolf word for rose Zephyrus