Malva
/ˈmæl.və/noun
A genus of flowering plants in the mallow family, or a member of that genus.
Did you know?Malva is the classical Latin name for mallow, a plant so culturally old that it gave rise to words for softness and soothing in several languages.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*mel-
“To be soft, mild, or tender.”
Classical Latin
Latin
malva
“Mallow, a soft-stemmed flowering plant.”
Late Latin
Latin
malva
“Mallow; the plant name continued in learned and regional use.”
Old French
Old French
mauve
“Mallow; later also the pale purple color named after the flower.”
Modern English
English
malva
“A botanical name for mallow-related plants in the genus Malva.”
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