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Glite Dictionary
🦟 An insect repellent 🌾 A tropical grass
citronella

citronella

1 4.1
A tropical grass with a strong lemon smell often grown in gardens to keep mosquitoes away
  • noun
  • /ˌsɪtrəˈnɛlə/
: citronela
  • Our store suggests that using an aromatherapy candle with ginger oil helps relieve nausea, or a citronella-infused candle to repel insects and reduce headaches.
  • citronella candle

Examples

  • A small white citronella candle in net-covered glass flickers light off.

    Fiction book (1995)

  • For effective bug control, many people use citronella oil in their homemade insect repellent sprays.

  • "Peter went to the rail, began lighting the citronella candles that stood in clay holders.

    Fiction book (1999)

  • Reuben fit a citronella candle to drive them away, but the smell made Ponter gag.

    Fiction book (2002)

  • He looked down at me and, in the flickering light of the citronella candles, I saw his eyes were somber and pained.

    Fiction book (1999)

  • Citronella grew in Claude's garden, sharp like a sedge but smelling of citrus.

    Fiction book (2001)

  • To keep the mosquitoes away during the summer barbecue, I always light some citronella candles.

  • The aroma of citronella filled the air as we sat outside, enjoying the warm evening without being bothered by insects.

Surface Forms

citronella singular
citronellas plural

Morphology

citronella = citron (semi-transparent) = citron + ella

The form is clearly citron + the diminutive/nominalizing element -ella, but the suffix is a borrowed diminutive not productive in modern English and the whole word is a loan name for a plant/oil.

Etymology

Citronella comes from citron ('lemon') plus the little ending -ella, so it can be thought of as 'little lemon'. The grass has a lemon-like smell, which helps explain why people plant citronella to keep mosquitoes away.