Nerium oleander
- noun
- /ˈnɪr.i.əm oʊˈliː.æn.dər/
- Specialized
:
Nerium oleander
- The garden was bordered by a thick hedge of Nerium oleander in full bloom.
Examples
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The garden was bordered by a thick hedge of Nerium oleander, displaying clusters of fragrant blossoms.
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Children should be warned not to touch Nerium oleander due to its toxic properties.
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In warmer climates, Nerium oleander is often planted along roadsides for its flowers.
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The Nerium oleander is often used in landscaping.
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Many gardeners love the beauty of Nerium oleander.
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Children should be warned not to touch Nerium oleander due to its toxic properties.
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In warmer climates, Nerium oleander is often planted along roadsides for its showy flowers.
Synonyms
3
8.2
A poisonous evergreen bush with narrow leaves and sweet-smelling pink or white flowers
An evergreen shrub with narrow leaves and fragrant white, pink, or red flower clusters that is poisonous
Surface Forms
Morphology
This is a standard taxonomic binomial combining the genus name 'Nerium' with the species epithet 'oleander', so its referent is directly the plant described by the constituents; given the provided definitions a B1 learner who knows both parts can infer it denotes that specific evergreen shrub. Scientific Latin names are compositional and used consistently across languages, making the meaning predictable rather than idiomatic.
Etymology
The name Nerium oleander may come from old Greek and Latin words: Nerium from 'nerion', a plant that grew near water, and oleander from 'olea', the word for 'olive', because its long leaves look like olive leaves. So the name gives a clear picture of this evergreen shrub with long, olive-like leaves and helps you remember the showy but poisonous plant.