gardenia

noun

gar·​de·​nia gär-ˈdē-nyə How to pronounce gardenia (audio)
: any of a large genus (Gardenia) of Old World tropical trees and shrubs of the madder family with showy fragrant white or yellow flowers

Examples of gardenia in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Making her way past gardenia and bright pink bougainvillea bushes growing wild near the beach, Joumaa pointed out bags of trash her team picked up after the mostly plastic waste washed ashore on the beach. Jane Arraf, NPR, 22 Jan. 2025 This classic formula is also infused with aloe and gardenia for glow-boosting effect. Jenny Berg, Vogue, 21 Jan. 2025 Buffy: Up to 30% Off Bedding Sets and 15% Off Sitewide Buffy is famous for its silky, smooth eucalyptus sheets that are colored with plant dye (think turmeric, gardenia, and pomegranate). Bailey Berg, Architectural Digest, 14 Jan. 2025 June • For camellia, citrus, gardenia, grape and other plants adapted to acidic soil: If leaves are yellowing (chlorotic) between green veins, plants may benefit from foliar or soil application of iron and zinc chelate and mulching. The San Diego Union Tribune, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for gardenia 

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from Alexander Garden †1791 Scottish naturalist

First Known Use

1756, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of gardenia was in 1756

Dictionary Entries Near gardenia

Cite this Entry

“Gardenia.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gardenia. Accessed 30 Jan. 2025.

Kids Definition

gardenia

noun
gar·​de·​nia gär-ˈdē-nyə How to pronounce gardenia (audio)
: any of various Old World tropical trees and shrubs with leathery leaves and fragrant white or yellow flowers
also : one of the flowers

More from Merriam-Webster on gardenia

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!