edelweiss

What it means

1. uncountableusuallyA European perennial alpine plant (Leontopodium alpinum), with downy leaves and small white flower heads in a dense cluster.

   And that will mean farewell to the edelweiss, adieu the eider goose.

   2018, Tim Flannery, Europe: A Natural History, page 297

In a sentence

And that will mean farewell to the edelweiss, adieu the eider goose.

2018, Tim Flannery, Europe: A Natural History, page 297

Where it comes from

1. GermanEdelweiß
2. Englishedelweiss

Borrowed from German Edelweiß, from edel (“noble”) + weiß (“white”).