croton

What it means

1. Any of various plants, of the genus Croton, that yield croton oil.
2. A tropical evergreen shrub (Codiaeum variegatum), having glossy foliage, cultivated as a houseplant.

   The croton bushes, by day hideous things like jaundiced laurels, were changed by the moon into jagged black and white designs like fantastic wood-cuts.

   1934, George Orwell, chapter 15, in Burmese Days

   Synonyms: fire croton, garden croton, variegated croton

In a sentence

The croton bushes, by day hideous things like jaundiced laurels, were changed by the moon into jagged black and white designs like fantastic wood-cuts.

1934, George Orwell, chapter 15, in Burmese Days

Where it comes from

1. Ancient Greekκροτών“tick”
2. New Latincrotōn
3. Englishcroton

From New Latin crotōn, from Ancient Greek κροτών (krotṓn, “tick”), from the size and shape of the seed.