retama

1 of 2

noun

"
variants or less commonly ratama
"
plural -s
1
a
: jerusalem thorn
b
2
[American Spanish, retama, from Spanish, canary broom] : any of several yellow-flowered tropical American shrubs of the genus Cassia

Retama

2 of 2
Re·​ta·​ma
rə̇ˈtämə,
rēˈ-,
-tāmə

taxonomic synonym of genista

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from Spanish, shrub of the genus Genista, from Arabic ratam retem

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 retama

Cite this Entry

“Retama.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/retama. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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