azalea

Where does the word "azalea" come from? It comes from Greek azaleos, passing through Modern Latin before entering English (1750s).

Azalea’s story begins in Greek: azaleos meant “dry.” Dry, from 'azein', to dry up. By 1753, the word had taken hold in Modern Latin as Azalea. Linnaeus named the genus in Uppsala, believing the shrubs liked dry soil. It reached English by 1750s as azalea. Taken into English gardening; the name is now misleading, since many azaleas like moist, acid soil. Today, azalea means a flowering shrub of the rhododendron family.

1. Stage 1 · Greek · ancient azaleos "dry", dry, from 'azein', to dry up.
2. Stage 2 · Modern Latin · 1753 Azalea "genus Azalea", Linnaeus named the genus in Uppsala, believing the shrubs liked dry soil.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1750s azalea "azalea", taken into English gardening; the name is now misleading, since many azaleas like moist, acid soil.