nasturtium

noun

nas·​tur·​tium nə-ˈstər-shəm How to pronounce nasturtium (audio)
na-
: any of a genus (Tropaeolum of the family Tropaeolaceae, the nasturtium family) of herbs of Central and South America with showy spurred flowers and pungent edible seeds and leaves
especially : either of two widely cultivated ornamentals (T. majus and T. minus)

Illustration of nasturtium

Illustration of nasturtium

Examples of nasturtium in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Floor-to-ceiling windows lead you to a wide-open terrace with a greenhouse and rows of flower beds that grow fresh produce from beetroot to courgettes, nasturtium flowers, and green runner beans. Lewis Nunn, Forbes, 22 Feb. 2024 Some flowers that are considered edible include alliums, nasturtiums, marigolds, pansies, borage, chamomile, and squash blossoms. Kelly Phillips Erb, Forbes, 14 Feb. 2024 Also on the table were pale-yellow daffodils, dark-yellow nasturtiums, and the Shorter Oxford English Dictionary. Helen Sullivan, The New Yorker, 26 Oct. 2023 The dish also incorporated perfect orbs of firm but tender chayote squash, lily-pad-like nasturtium leaves, and carefully sliced chives. Hannah Goldfield, The New Yorker, 2 Oct. 2023 They were often planted with sedum, moss and trailing nasturtiums (green roofs are naturally cooling). Penelope Green, New York Times, 30 July 2023 Try the Oyster, a surprising mix of melt-in-your-mouth oysters floating in a pool of nasturtium dashi (a broth made from nasturtium leaves and flowers) and topped with mustard greens and grains ($13). Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Oct. 2021 They were often planted with sedum, moss, and trailing nasturtiums (green roofs are naturally cooling). Penelope Green, BostonGlobe.com, 31 July 2023 Dominoes of bonito from Spain’s Atlantic coast were smoked over thyme and sage, then served with pistachios, ponzu, and umbrellas of spicy nasturtium. Matt Goulding, Travel + Leisure, 7 July 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'nasturtium.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Latin, a cress

First Known Use

1704, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of nasturtium was in 1704

Dictionary Entries Near nasturtium

Cite this Entry

“Nasturtium.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nasturtium. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

nasturtium

noun
nas·​tur·​tium nə-ˈstər-shəm How to pronounce nasturtium (audio)
na-
: any of a genus of herbs with showy flowers and edible sharp-tasting seeds and leaves

More from Merriam-Webster on nasturtium

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