Ruderal
/ˈruːdərəl/noun
Growing in or on disturbed ground, especially waste places, roadsides, or rubble.
Did you know?The word comes from Latin *rudus* meaning “rubble” or “broken stone,” so a ruderal plant is literally a plant of ruins and debris.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*reu-
“to break, smash, or tear apart”
Latin
Latin
rudus, ruderis
“rubble; broken stone; rough debris”
Latin
Latin
ruderalis
“of rubble or waste ground”
19th Century
English
ruderal
“growing on waste or disturbed ground”
Modern English
English
ruderal
“adapted to live in disturbed habitats, especially roadsides and rubble”