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gardenia

noun
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gar·​de·​nia | \ gär-ˈdē-nyə How to pronounce gardenia (audio) \

Definition of gardenia

: any of a large genus (Gardenia) of Old World tropical trees and shrubs of the madder family with showy fragrant white or yellow flowers

Examples of gardenia in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web On the nose, pear and candied lemon unite with soft gardenia. — Rachel King, Fortune, "The best wines for Thanksgiving," 21 Nov. 2020 Sheets are dyed with a handful of natural ingredients, like gardenia and pomegranate, and without bleach or harsh chemicals. — oregonlive, "Celebrate the 50th Earth Day with these easy green tips for home and garden," 14 Apr. 2020 Your gardenia was grafted to provide a nematode-resistant root system. — Tom Maccubbin, orlandosentinel.com, "Start foxglove seeds now," 22 Nov. 2019 Narrow shops sold gardenia, musk, and amber incense alongside sweatshirts promoting the Israel Defense Forces. — Dan Baum, Harper's magazine, "Happiness Is a Worn Gun," 22 Aug. 2019 Timeless gardenia, tiara flower and velvet tuberose bring a trio of white florals to the heart offering a narcotic opulence and grand sillage. — Jenna Rosenstein, Harper's BAZAAR, "Kim Kardashian is Launching a KKW Fragrance Candle," 16 Sep. 2019 Narrow shops sold gardenia, musk, and amber incense alongside sweatshirts promoting the Israel Defense Forces. — Dan Baum, Harper's magazine, "Happiness Is a Worn Gun," 22 Aug. 2019 Narrow shops sold gardenia, musk, and amber incense alongside sweatshirts promoting the Israel Defense Forces. — Dan Baum, Harper's magazine, "Happiness Is a Worn Gun," 22 Aug. 2019 Narrow shops sold gardenia, musk, and amber incense alongside sweatshirts promoting the Israel Defense Forces. — Dan Baum, Harper's magazine, "Happiness Is a Worn Gun," 22 Aug. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'gardenia.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of gardenia

1756, in the meaning defined above

History and Etymology for gardenia

New Latin, from Alexander Garden †1791 Scottish naturalist

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Time Traveler for gardenia

Time Traveler

The first known use of gardenia was in 1756

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Cite this Entry

“Gardenia.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gardenia. Accessed 26 Feb. 2021.

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More Definitions for gardenia

gardenia

noun
How to pronounce gardenia (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of gardenia

: a large white or yellowish flower that has a pleasant smell

See the full definition for gardenia in the English Language Learners Dictionary

gardenia

noun
gar·​de·​nia | \ gär-ˈdē-nyə How to pronounce gardenia (audio) \

Kids Definition of gardenia

: a large white or yellowish flower with a fragrant smell

More from Merriam-Webster on gardenia

Nglish: Translation of gardenia for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about gardenia

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