Roses
/ˈroʊzɪz/noun
Plural of rose: a thorny flowering plant or its blooms, often cultivated for fragrance and color.
Did you know?The English word rose ultimately comes from an ancient root that also gave Latin and Greek their words for the flower, making it one of the oldest continuously named blossoms in Europe.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*wr̥dʰo- / *h₁reudʰ-
“A proposed ancient root associated with redness or flowering plants, though the exact prehistory of the rose word is debated.”
Ancient Greek
Greek
rhódon (ῥόδον)
“Rose; the flower.”
Latin
Latin
rosa
“Rose; the flower.”
Old English
English
rōse
“Rose; the flower, borrowed from Latin via early Romance contact.”
Middle English
English
rose
“Rose; the flower.”
Modern English
English
roses
“Plural form of rose.”
Explore more surprising origins