chelone

1 of 2

noun

che·​lo·​ne
keˈlōnē
1
capitalized : a small genus of perennial herbs (family Scrophulariaceae) of the eastern U.S. having serrate leaves and large white or purple flowers in nearly sessile spikes
2
plural -s : any plant of the genus Chelone

called also turtlehead

Chelone

2 of 2
"

taxonomic synonym of chelonia:2

Word History

Etymology

Noun

borrowed from New Latin (Linnaeus), borrowed from Greek chelṓnē "tortoise, land turtle," derivative from a base chel-y- (whence chélȳs "tortoise"), perhaps going back to Indo-European *gheluH- or *ghelH-u-, whence Church Slavic (eastern) žely, genitive želŭve "tortoise," Polish żółw, Slovene žêlva

borrowed from New Latin, borrowed from Greek chelṓnē "tortoise, land turtle"

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

  • More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
  • Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
  • Advanced search features
  • Ad free!

Dictionary Entries Near chelone

Cite this Entry

“Chelone.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chelone. Accessed 25 Apr. 2024.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!