calendula

noun

ca·​len·​du·​la kə-ˈlen-jə-lə 

-dyu̇-lə

: any of a small genus (Calendula) of yellow-rayed composite herbs of temperate regions

Examples of calendula in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Add Plants That Attract Beneficial Insects Grow plants that attract beneficial bugs, such as butterfly weed, dill, yarrow, alyssum, fennel, and calendula. —Michelle Mastro, Martha Stewart, 31 May 2026

Sometimes called pot marigold, calendula produces cheerful flowers in shades of cream, yellow, and orange. —Rita Pelczar, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 May 2026

The lightweight formula combines hyaluronic acid to quench thirsty skin, niacinamide to smooth and brighten, and the brand’s signature herbal blend—featuring ingredients like oat, calendula, and chickweed—to keep skin feeling fresh and comfortably hydrated. —Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 27 May 2026

Calendula Also known as pot marigold, calendula (Calendula officinalis) begins blooming with cheerful, daisy-like orange and yellow flowers in late spring and doesn't stop until late summer. —Alexandra Jones, The Spruce, 22 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from New Latin Calendula, genus name, probably borrowed from Italian calendola "the plant Calendula officinalis," from calenda "first day of the month" (borrowed from Latin Kalendae calends) + -ola, diminutive suffix

Note: Apparently a learned or semi-learned coinage in Italian. Dictionaries attribute the etymon to New Latin, but the earliest instance of it appears to be in Pietro Andrea Mattioli's Di Pedacio Dioscoride Anazarbeo libri cinque della historia & materia medicinale (Venice, 1544), an Italian translation of Dioscorides with Mattioli's commentary. According to Andrea Cesalpino's De plantis libri XVI (Florence, 1583, p. 495), "it is called Calendula in the vernacular, because it blooms monthly" ("Calendula vulgo appellatur; quia singulis mensibus floret …").

First Known Use

1651, in the meaning defined above

Medical Definition

calendula

noun

ca·​len·​du·​la kə-ˈlen-jə-lə 

1

capitalized : a small genus of yellow-rayed composite herbs of temperate regions

2

: any plant of the genus Calendula

3

: the dried florets of plants of the genus Calendula (especially C. officinalis) sometimes used as a mild aromatic and diaphoretic