any plant of the family Brassicaceae (formerly Cruciferae), having a corolla of four petals arranged like a cross and a fruit called a siliqua. The family includes the brassicas, mustard, cress, and wallflower
2.
a person who carries a cross
Derived forms
cruciferous (kruːˈsɪfərəs)
adjective
Word origin
C16: from Late Latin, from Latin crux cross + ferre to carry
crucifer in American English
(ˈkrusəfər)
noun
1.
a person who carries a cross, as in a church procession
2. Botany
any plant of the crucifer family
adjective
3.
designating a family (Brassicaceae, order Capparales) of dicotyledonous plants with cross-shapedflowers, pointed pods, and strong, cabbagelike odors, including cabbage, turnip, broccoli, radish, horseradish, and alyssum
Derived forms
cruciferous (cruˈciferous) (kruˈsɪfərəs)
adjective
Word origin
LL(Ec) < L crux, cross + ferre, to bear1; sense crucifer (sense 2) < arrangement of flower petals in the form of a cross