croton
/ˈkrəʊt(ə)n
/noun
1A strong-scented tree, shrub, or herbaceous plant of the spurge family, native to tropical and warm regions. Several kinds yield timber and other commercially important products.
- Genus Croton, family Euphorbiaceae: numerous species, including C. laccifer, the host plant for the lac insect.
- It belongs to the very large Euphorbia family along with other popular ornamental plants such as poinsettias and crotons.
- Feathers, flowers, and the leaves of croton plants were used to decorate women's hair, and were also placed in arm-bands (worn on the upper arms).
2A small evergreen tree or shrub of the Indo-Pacific region, which is grown for its colourful ornamental foliage.
- Genus Codiaeum, family Euphorbiaceae: several species.
- To add more colour to the city, the Chief Minister has also suggested that the civic agency could grow crotons on road medians.
- Pisonia has large leaves and could be said to look similar to crotons except without the yellow and red colours.
Origin
Modern Latin, from Greek krotōn 'sheep tick' (from the shape of the seeds of the croton in sense 1).
Rhymes
- pistol man
- pistol-packer
- pistol-packing
- pistol pocket
- pistol-proof
- pistol range
- pistolship
- pistol shot
- pistol shrimp
- pistol-whip
- pistol-wise
- pistomesite
- piston
- piston bellows
- piston core
- piston corer
- piston core sampler
- piston drill
- piston engine
- piston-engined
- piston head
- piston-like
- piston packing
- pistonphone
- piston pin