Clematis

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈklɛmətɪs/

Definitions

1. A genus of perennial flowering vines recognized for producing striking flowers and often used in landscaping A climbing plant that belongs to the buttercup family, renowned for its ornate blossoms and vigorous growth A popular ornamental vine with showy flowers, belonging to the Ranunculaceae family and prized for garden decoration
2. A group of climbing flowering plants noted for their beautiful blooms and widely appreciated in horticulture for adding visual appeal to gardens and landscapes
3. A woody vine known for its twisting stems and large, colorful flowers often cultivated in gardens

Etymology: The climbing vine that fills English gardens with purple and white blooms takes its name from a Greek word for a vine-shoot. Ancient Greek "klēma" meant a vine or branch bearing tendrils, and the diminutive-style form "klēmatis" was a term for a small vine or twig. The Romans borrowed it as "clēmatis," and the Latin term passed into botanical Latin, where it became the scientific name of the genus. Its path into English runs through that scientific naming. The plant was classified as a genus under the Latin form, and the name was taken over from botanical Latin into English as a technical term for the plant. The English word therefore keeps the original sense of a climbing stem, which is exactly what the plant does: it clings to supports with twisting leaf stalks.