Actinidia
noun
Ac·ti·nid·ia
ˌak-tə-ˈni-dē-ə
: a small genus (the type of the family Actinidiaceae) of Asian woody vines having alternate simple leaves, dioecious or polygamous axillary flowers, and many-seeded berries see silvervine
Word History
Etymology
borrowed from New Latin, from Greek aktīn-, aktís "ray, beam, spoke of a wheel" + New Latin -idia (feminine derivative of -idium -idium); probably so called from the radiating arrangement of the stigmata
First Known Use
1861, in the meaning defined above