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rho·do·den·dron

(rō′də-dĕndrən)

Any of numerous usually evergreen shrubs of the genus Rhododendron of the heath family, having clusters of variously colored, often bell-shaped flowers and widely grown as ornamentals.

[Latin, oleander, from Greek : rhodo-, rhodo- + dendron, tree; see deru- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

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rhododendron

Catawba rhododendron

Rhododendron catawbiense

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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