ethnobotany

E1T1H4N1O1B3O1T1A1N1Y4

noun

The scientific study of the relationships between people and plants.

OriginEnglish botany ← Ancient Greek ἔθνος (éthnos) ← Proto-Hellenic *séswōtʰa →
UncommonScrabble 19
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Meanings

nounethnobotany (usually uncountable, plural ethnobotanies)

plural ethnobotanies

  1. uncountableusuallybiologyThe scientific study of the relationships between people and plants.
  2. uncountableusuallymedicineThe scientific study of traditional medicinal plants used by various ethnic groups.

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*swé
  2. Proto-Indo-European*dʰeh₁-
  3. Proto-Indo-European*swe-dʰh₁-
  4. Proto-Hellenic*séswōtʰa
  5. Ancient Greekἔθω (éthō)
  6. Ancient Greekἔθνος (éthnos)
  7. Englishethno-
  8. Englishbotany
  9. Englishethnobotany

From ethno- + botany.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Catalan etnobotànica
  • etnobotànicascientific study
Finnish etnobotaniikka
  • etnobotaniikkascientific study
German Ethnobotanik
  • Ethnobotanikscientific study
Cite this entry
APA

ethnobotany. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ethnobotany

MLA

“ethnobotany.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ethnobotany. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “ethnobotany,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ethnobotany.

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