gen·tia·na·ce·ae \ˌjench(ē)əˈnāsēˌē\noun plural Usage: capitalized Etymology: New Latin, from Gentiana, type genus + -aceae : a large nearly cosmopolitan family of chiefly herbaceous plants (order Gentianales) that usually have showy flowers with tubular or segmented calyx and lobed corolla — see gentiana • gen·tia·na·ceous\| ̷ ̷( ̷ ̷) ̷ ̷|nāshəs\adjective