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heliotrope

Syllabification: (he·li·o·trope)
Pronunciation: /ˈhēlēəˌtrōp/

Definition of heliotrope

noun

  • a plant of the borage family, cultivated for its fragrant purple or blue flowers, which are used in perfume.
    • Genus Heliotropium, family Boraginaceae
  • a light purple color, similar to that typical of heliotrope flowers.

Origin:

Old English eliotropus (originally applied to various plants whose flowers turn toward the sun), via Latin from Greek hēliotropion 'plant turning its flowers to the sun', from hēlios 'sun' + trepein 'to turn'. The spelling was influenced by French héliotrope

heliotrope in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of heliotrope in the British & World English dictionary
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