nasturtium

noun

nas·​tur·​tium nə-ˈstər-shəm 

na-

: any of a genus (Tropaeolum of the family Tropaeolaceae, the nasturtium family) of herbs of Central and South America with showy spurred flowers and pungent edible seeds and leaves

especially : either of two widely cultivated ornamentals (T. majus and T. minus)

Illustration of nasturtium

Examples of nasturtium in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Rémi Lecoutre, deputy head gardener at the Claude Monet House and Gardens museum, gave France 24 a tour, which revealed the nasturtiums to be completely wiped out; many other flowers appeared scorched or dead. — News Desk, Artforum, 20 Aug. 2026

Related Articles Lecoutre showed reporters where nasturtiums typically grow at this time of year, now among the flowers entirely killed off by the heat. — Devorah Lauter, ARTnews.com, 19 Aug. 2026

Top 5 Can’t Miss Grab a table at the Port of Call for tuna tartare with koji strawberry milk and nasturtium oil—a fresh take on typical New England fare. — Madeline Bilis, Travel + Leisure, 18 Aug. 2026

While seedlings may be difficult to find, nasturtiums are one of the quickest growing flowers, blooming four to six weeks after sowing. — Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 1 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Latin, a cress

First Known Use

1704, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

nasturtium

noun

nas·​tur·​tium nə-ˈstər-shəm 

na-

: any of a genus of herbs with showy flowers and edible sharp-tasting seeds and leaves