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Glite Dictionary
Greek valerian

Greek valerian

8.9
A garden plant with blue, purple, or white flowers grown for its pretty look
  • noun
  • UK
translation icon : valeriana griega
  • We planted Greek valerian along the garden path for its striking blue flowers.

Examples

  • I planted Greek valerian in my garden last year.

  • The Greek valerian blooms beautifully in spring.

  • Gardeners appreciate Greek valerian for its attractive foliage and ease of care.

  • The delicate blooms of Greek valerian appear in late spring and last into early summer.

  • Gardeners appreciate Greek valerian for its attractive foliage and ease of care.

  • The delicate blooms of Greek valerian appear in late spring and last into early summer.

  • We planted Greek valerian along the garden path for its striking blue flowers.

Synonyms

valerian
vsGreek valerian
32 8.2

A plant with small white or pink flowers and roots used as medicine

is valued for colorful garden appearance rather than medicinal use
garden heliotrope
vsGreek valerian
9.0

A tall plant with sweet-smelling pink or white flowers and roots used in medicine

is grown mainly for attractive colorful flowers rather than medicinal use
Valeriana officinalis
vsGreek valerian
  • Specialized
9.1

A tall plant that lives for many years with fragrant flowers and roots used to help people sleep

is cultivated mainly for its attractive flowers rather than for medicine
common valerian
vsGreek valerian
7.2

A tall plant with strong-smelling flowers whose roots are used to help people sleep

is grown for decorative flowers and color rather than medicinal roots
Valeriana
vsGreek valerian
  • Specialized
9.5

A group of plants that live for many years and are used in herbal medicine

is a specific garden variety grown for attractive colored flowers

Surface Forms

Greek valerian singular
Greek valerian plural

Morphology

Greek + valerian

The phrase is a straightforward adjective + noun combination where 'Greek' specifies the origin or variety of 'valerian.' A B1 learner who knows both words can reliably infer it refers to a type of valerian associated with Greece, following common compositional patterns found across languages.

Etymology

Greek valerian gets its name from the old plant name valerian, which comes from a word meaning 'to be strong' because people used the plant for a long time as a medicine to calm or help the body. The word 'Greek' was added for the kind that came from Greece, so the name reminds us of its old use as a medicine even though today we often grow it for its pretty flowers.