n. 1. Any of various plants of the genus Tropaeolum, native to South and Central America, that have round leaves and pungent edible yellow, orange, or red spurred flowers and are often grown as ornamentals. 2. A brilliant orange yellow. [Middle English nasturcium, a kind of cress, from Latin nasturtium : perhaps nāsus, nose; see nas- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots + *tortāre, frequentative of torquēre, to twist (from its pungent smell); see terkw- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.] |
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