Roses

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈɹəʊzɪz/

Definitions

1. A floral species recognized for its aromatic blossoms, often linked to affection and passion
2. A group of plants distinguished by their sharp spines and vibrant flowers, frequently presented as tokens of love
3. Flowering shrubs or climbers known for their fragrant and colorful blossoms

Etymology: "Roses" is simply the plural of "rose", so the story belongs to the singular. The plant's name has travelled a long way: the Greek "rhodon" is thought to have passed through Oscan, an Italic language of southern Italy, before reaching Latin as "rosa". Behind the Greek word lies an Old Persian form meaning "flower", and the Persian word "gol", still meaning "rose" or "flower", is a close relative. The trail continues back to a Proto-Indo-European word for "sweetbriar", and possibly to a verb meaning "to grow". English had its own word too. Old English "rōse" came from Latin, but its vowel was reshaped by the Old French "rose", which is why the vowel sound of the English word differs from the Old English one. The noun is therefore a fusion of two routes into the language, one inherited from earlier English and one arriving through French.

Synonyms: flowers, blooms, blossoms, petals, buds

Antonyms: weeds