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geranium

geranium

5 3.7
A common garden plant with round bright flowers often grown in pots
  • noun
  • /dʒəˈreɪniəm/
translation icon : geranio
  • Rain falls across her patio, on the begonias and geraniums she has planted in clay pots.
  • red geraniums
  • scented geraniums
  • potted geraniums

Examples

  • We'll leave the keys under the potted geranium by the front door.

    Fiction book (1999)
  • Then she watered the forty red geraniums on the windowsills, saving that pleasant chore until last.

    Fiction book (1993)
  • The geranium in the window.

  • A gentleman with big hands calls to admire our geranium.

  • I am going to leave out the geraniums and see if they will survive.

    Fiction book (1992)
  • The house had a front porch with fat pots of red geraniums on the steps.

    Fiction book (1995)
  • "The geraniums?" Jada looked at the red geranium plants lining the two windows in the bedroom.

    Fiction book (1993)
  • The most common flowers were dahlias, chrysanthemums, and geraniums, valued for their showy colorfulness.

    Academic text (2004)
  • Returning from planting geraniums in the huge terra-cotta pots on Theodora Shea's south-facing terrace.

    Fiction book (1995)
  • The bright red geranium bloomed beautifully in the garden.

Synonyms

Pelargonium
vsgeranium
  • Specialized
1 9.9

A small flowering plant with bright, often scented, flowers used in gardens and pots

is the specific plant group that the common name also describes
Geranium maculatum
vsgeranium
  • Specialized
8.4

A common wild flower in eastern North America with deeply divided leaves and purple flowers

is the general cultivated plant group often grown for rounded bright flowers
Geranium richardsonii
vsgeranium
  • Specialized
9.9

A wild geranium from western North America with small clusters of white or pale pink flowers

is the broader cultivated group, not just wild native species
Richardson's geranium
vsgeranium
  • Specialized
9.3

A wild plant with small white or pale pink flowers that grows in western North America

is the general cultivated type valued for rounded, colorful blooms
Geranium viscosissimum
vsgeranium
  • Specialized
9.7

A wild geranium from western North America with sticky leaves and pinkish-purple flowers

is the general ornamental group, not focused on wild leaf texture
bedding geranium
vsgeranium
  • Specialized
7.3

An upright garden plant with wavy leaves that have a dark edge and red, pink, or white flowers

is the wider plant family often grown for rounded bright garden flowers
fish geranium
vsgeranium
9.8

A garden plant with upright stems, leaves with wavy edges and a dark band, and pink, red, or white flowers

is the general cultivated plant type beyond specific leaf patterns
Pelargonium hortorum
vsgeranium
  • Specialized
8.2

A common garden plant with leaves that have a dark band and bright pink, red, or white flowers

is the broader plant category not limited to this garden variety
Pelargonium odoratissimum
vsgeranium
  • Specialized
9.9

A geranium with round scented leaves and small white flowers that people grow for its sweet smell

is the general ornamental group valued mainly for bright rounded blooms
apple geranium
vsgeranium
8.4

A small plant with round sweet-smelling leaves and white flowers

is the broader cultivated group focused on visual flower display
nutmeg geranium
vsgeranium
7.5

A plant with round, scented leaves and small white flowers often grown for its smell

is the general decorative plant group, not specifically grown for scent
rose geranium
vsgeranium
5.7

A plant with pink flowers and scented leaves used for perfume

is the wider cultivated group known mainly for bright rounded flowers
sweet-scented geranium
vsgeranium
  • South African
7.9

A plant with divided leaves and pink flowers that smell sweet

is the general species group valued for colorful garden flowers rather than scent
lemon geranium
vsgeranium
6.3

A garden plant with leaves that smell like lemon

is the broader ornamental group, emphasising flower display over leaf scent

Compounds

bedding geranium
  • Specialized
7.3

An upright garden plant with wavy leaves that have a dark edge and red, pink, or white flowers

An indoor plant with large rough leaves that have silver and red patterns and small hidden flowers

A common low plant with round leaves and pink flowers that grows in lawns

A small plant with round sweet-smelling leaves and white flowers

A small plant with a pleasant smell, oak-shaped leaves, and groups of yellow-green flowers

A garden plant with upright stems, leaves with wavy edges and a dark band, and pink, red, or white flowers

A garden plant with leaves that smell like lemon

A small herb with a mint smell used to add flavor to food or tea

geranium family
  • Specialized
6.5

A group of mostly herb-like plants that make flowers, often grown in gardens

Geranium maculatum
  • Specialized
8.4

A common wild flower in eastern North America with deeply divided leaves and purple flowers

Geranium molle
  • Specialized
7.9

A wild plant from Europe and western Asia with small pink flowers that often grows as a weed in lawns

Geranium pratense
  • Specialized
9.2

A tall plant that lives for many years and has bright blue flowers that grow in meadows

Geranium richardsonii
  • Specialized
9.9

A wild geranium from western North America with small clusters of white or pale pink flowers

Geranium robertianum
  • Specialized
9.9

A low sticky plant with small reddish-purple flowers that grows in northern places

9.7

A wild geranium from western North America with sticky leaves and pinkish-purple flowers

A plant with long stems, round leaves, and bright pink flowers that people often grow in hanging baskets

A trailing plant with round leaves and pink flowers often grown in hanging baskets

ivy-leaved geranium
  • Specialized
8.4

A trailing plant with shield-shaped leaves and pink flowers

A plant with round, scented leaves and small white flowers often grown for its smell

Richardson's geranium
  • Specialized
9.3

A wild plant with small white or pale pink flowers that grows in western North America

rock geranium
  • Specialized
7.9

A low plant with green leaves and small flowers that grows in rocky places

A plant with pink flowers and scented leaves used for perfume

sweet-scented geranium
  • South African
7.9

A plant with divided leaves and pink flowers that smell sweet

A wildflower in western North America with sticky hairy stems and pinkish flowers

A small plant with round leaves and red and white flowers that people often grow indoors or as ground cover

5.4

A small wild flower with divided leaves and purple flowers that grows in woods and meadows

How Showy

orchid
106 3.9
geranium
5 3.7
petunia
10 3.0
pansy
2 2.6

Surface Forms

geranium singular
geraniums plural

Etymology

Geranium comes from the Greek word geranos meaning 'crane', because the plant's long seed pod looks like a crane's beak. That's why the name points to the plant's beak-like shape, even though today we usually think of its bright flowers.