althea
- noun
- /ælˈθiːə/
- Specialized
- Some herbal teas use dried althea roots for their mild soothing properties.
Examples
-
Look at the althea!
-
The garden was full of althea bushes in full bloom.
-
She planted an althea near the porch because of its pretty pink flowers.
-
The altheas are beautiful!
-
In my garden, the althea blooms beautifully every summer with its vibrant flowers.
-
The gardener planted several varieties of althea to attract pollinators to the yard.
-
During our visit to the botanical garden, we admired the tall althea plants that swayed in the breeze.
Compounds
- Specialized
A European plant with lilac-pink flowers whose roots are used for medicine
Surface Forms
Etymology
The word althea comes from an old Greek word althaia, meaning 'to heal', because people long ago used the plant as medicine. It is the same plant family that gave English the word marshmallow, so thinking of a soft, soothing marshmallow can help you remember that althea is a healing plant.