Etymology and origin of the Latin word azalea
- Confidence
- Established
- Formation
- Coinage
- First attested
- 1753 Linnaeus More words from the 18th century
- From
- Ancient Greek ἀζαλέος
- Ultimate origin
- Ancient Greek ἀζαλέος
Pronunciation
- Ecclesiastical: [adˈd͡zaː.le.a][1]
Forms
azalea f (genitive azaleae); first declension[1]
Etymology
Linnaeus coined it in 1753 as a plant name.[2] It is from Ancient Greek ἀζαλέος (azaléos, “dry”), in the feminine,[1][2] a name Etymonline explains by the shrub's thriving in sandy soil.[2]
Earliest recorded meaning
Linnaeus gave the name in 1753 to a genus of flowering shrubs.[2]
Semantic evolution
As a New Latin botanical name it passed into English and other languages as the name of the azalea.[2][1]
Timeline
- 1753 – Linnaeus coins it as the name of a genus of flowering shrubs.[2]
Meanings
Noun
Related words
- English azalea
Usage notes
An earlier medieval azalea or azilea, from Greek, appears once in a fragment of a women's medical text, apparently for a remedy for thinning hair; the Mittellateinisches Wörterbuch marks the meaning as doubtful.[3][4]
References
- ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
- ^ a b c d e f g Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
- ^ Mittellateinisches Wörterbuch bis zum ausgehenden 13. Jahrhundert (1967–), Munich: C. H. Beck; Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
- ^ Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
Related etymologies
- -inus · also from Greek
- -eus · also from Greek
- patriarcha · also from Greek
- microscopium · also from Greek
- arteria · also from Greek
- anachoreta · also from Greek
- alleluia · also from Greek
- palladium · also from Greek
Cite this entry
“Azalea.” Etymologically, 7 Nov. 2026, etymologically.com/la/azalea. Accessed 8 Nov. 2026.
Last edited on . ·