Fuchsia
/ˈfjuːʃə/noun
A plant genus known for its pendulous, brightly colored flowers, especially in pink, purple, and red.
Did you know?The genus was named in 1703 by Charles Plumier to honor Leonhart Fuchs, whose surname is the German word for “fox.”
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*púk-s-o-s
“A reconstructed root associated with the fox, possibly referring to its tail”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*fuhsaz
“Fox”
16th Century
German
Fuchs
“Fox; also the surname of botanist Leonhart Fuchs”
1542
Neo-Latin
Leonhartus Fuchsius
“Latinized form of Leonhart Fuchs’s name”
1703
Neo-Latin
Fuchsia
“Plant genus named by Charles Plumier in honor of Fuchs”
Modern English
English
fuchsia
“A flowering plant genus, and a vivid pink-purple color”