gardenia

gar·de·nia
G2A1R1D2E1N1I1A1
US/ɡɑɹˈdinjə/UK/ɡɑːˈdiːnjə/

noun

Any of various tropical evergreen small trees or shrubs, of the genus Gardenia, having glossy leaves and white flowers.

Origintranslingual Gardenia →
Less commonScrabble 10
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Meanings

gardenia1

noungardenia (plural gardenias)

plural gardenias

  1. Any of various tropical evergreen small trees or shrubs, of the genus Gardenia, having glossy leaves and white flowers.
  2. The flower of these plants.

    Heed remembered the baby-powder smell from the bowl of gardenias, their edges browning like toast.

    2003, Toni Morrison, Love, Vintage (2016), page 125
    1 more example

    The aroma given off by flowers has an aphrodisiac effect, especially on women. This is so particularly in the case of lilies of the valley, gardenia, frangipani, and henna.

    1961, Harry E. Wedeck, Dictionary of Aphrodisiacs, New York: The Citadel Press, page 98

Gardenia2

proper noun
  1. A village in Belize District, Belize.

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
cape jasmine

Origin

  1. translingualGardenia
  2. Englishgardenia

Borrowed from translingual Gardenia, named after Scottish naturalist Dr. Alexander Garden.

More words from translingual

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Brazilian Portuguese gardênia
  • gardêniatree or shrub of the genus Gardenia
Bulgarian гардения
  • гардения (gardenija)tree or shrub of the genus Gardenia
Catalan gardènia
  • gardèniatree or shrub of the genus Gardenia
Chinese Mandarin 梔子 /栀子
  • 梔子 /栀子 (zhīzi)tree or shrub of the genus Gardenia
Czech gardénie
  • gardénietree or shrub of the genus Gardenia
European Portuguese gardénia
  • gardéniatree or shrub of the genus Gardenia
Finnish gardenia
  • gardeniatree or shrub of the genus Gardenia
French gardénia
  • gardéniatree or shrub of the genus Gardenia
German Gardenie
  • Gardenietree or shrub of the genus Gardenia
Greek γαρδένια
  • γαρδένια (gardénia)tree or shrub of the genus Gardenia
Hawaiian kiele
  • kieletree or shrub of the genus Gardenia
Italian gardenia
  • gardeniatree or shrub of the genus Gardenia
Japanese クチナシ
  • クチナシ (kuchinashi)tree or shrub of the genus Gardenia
Malay cempaka
  • cempakatree or shrub of the genus Gardenia
Māori tīare
  • tīaretree or shrub of the genus Gardenia
Polish gardenia
  • gardeniatree or shrub of the genus Gardenia
Romanian gardenie
  • gardenietree or shrub of the genus Gardenia
Russian гарде́ния
  • гарде́ния (gardɛ́nija)tree or shrub of the genus Gardenia
Slovak gardénia
  • gardéniatree or shrub of the genus Gardenia
Spanish gardenia
  • gardeniatree or shrub of the genus Gardenia
Tagalog gardenya
  • gardenyatree or shrub of the genus Gardenia

Rhymes & wordplay

Anagrams

drainage
Cite this entry
APA

gardenia. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/gardenia

MLA

“gardenia.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/gardenia. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “gardenia,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/gardenia.

Source: gardenia on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.