Carnations

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A popular flowering plant recognized for its fragrant blossoms and commonly included in floral displays, these blooms may represent admiration, love, or remembrance and showcase a variety of hues and textures
2. This flowering species is appreciated for its scented blooms that often grace bouquets, signifying various feelings such as devotion, and features frilled edges and bright colors, making them widely grown for decorative use
3. A species of plant known for its sweet-smelling flowers that come in multiple vibrant colors and are often used in bouquets and decorations

Etymology: The flower's name may have started as a mistake. The word "carnation" appears to be a French corruption of "coronation," meaning "crowning" or "crowned thing," with the blossom's ruffled edges supposedly resembling a crown. The alternative explanation is more straightforward: the word comes from Middle French "carnation," meaning "flesh color" or "complexion," which ultimately traces back to Latin "carō," meaning "flesh" or "meat." Some scholars favor one route, some the other, so the origin remains a matter of debate. Under either theory, the word's core idea is the color of living skin. Latin "carō" also gave English "carnal" and "carnivore," which share the same root meaning of flesh. The blossom was named for the pinkish hue that the early flower most resembled, and only later did the word come to describe the plant itself, and then the many colors it came to be bred in.

Synonyms: flowers, blooms, florals, plants, blossoms