abe·lia \əˈbēlyə, āˈ-, -lēə\noun Etymology: New Latin, from Clarke Abel died 1826 English botanist + New Latin -ia 1.capitalized: a genus of chiefly eastern Asian shrubs (family Caprifoliaceae) having opposite leaves and white, pink, or reddish flowers in cymes 2.-s: a plant of the genus Abelia