Broome

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A port city located in the Kimberley region of northwestern Australia, known for its pearling industry and beaches
2. A coastal town in Western Australia situated on the Indian Ocean, famous for its historic pearl trade and tropical setting
3. A town on Australia's northwestern coast in Western Australia, established as a pearling center and popular tourist destination

Etymology: Broome is an older spelling of "broom," the yellow-flowered shrub that also gave its name to the sweeping tool made from its twigs. The plant's name comes from Old English "brōm," and the same root appears in Dutch "braam" and German "Brombeere," both meaning bramble. The shrub and its thorny relatives once shared a name. The plant's most famous association is with the Plantagenet dynasty of English kings. The family name is traditionally linked to the Latin phrase "planta genista," meaning broom plant, supposedly because Geoffrey, Count of Anjou, wore a sprig of it in his hat. The story is widely repeated, but it rests on later tradition rather than firm contemporary evidence, so the link is best treated as a legend.