Eglanteria

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A type of shrub known for its fragrant pink or white wild roses, valued for ornamental gardening and producing small edible rose hips
2. A botanical term referring to a genus of wild roses featuring sweet-scented flowers commonly found in temperate regions and used in traditional remedies
3. A flowering plant characterized by thorny stems and aromatic blossoms, often cultivated for its beauty and the fruit it bears, commonly called rose hips

Etymology: Old French "aiglent" named the wild rose, and the Latin-derived "aiglentier" named the bush itself. The likely source is a Latin word for "needle" or "prickle," a nod to the rose's hooked thorns. English borrowed the form as "eglantine," and Shakespeare used it in "A Midsummer Night's Dream" for the sweetbriar hedges of the fairy wood. The botanical "Eglanteria" is a later Latinized name, formed from the same French root and given to the group of sweetbriar roses. Its scientific use keeps the old meaning: a rose whose foliage releases a fresh, apple-like scent when crushed, which is why these roses were valued in gardens and herbal preparations.

Synonyms: sweetbriar, wild rose