croton
[ kroht-n ]
/ ˈkroʊt n /
noun
any of numerous chiefly tropical plants constituting the genus Croton, of the spurge family, several species of which, as C. tiglium, have important medicinal properties.
(among florists) any plant of the related genus Codiaeum (or Phyllaurea) cultivated for its ornamental foliage.
Origin of croton
1745–55; < New Latin < Greek
krotṓn a tick, also the castor-oil plant, which has berries likened to ticks
Words nearby croton
crotalin,
crotch,
crotchet,
crotchety,
crotchwood,
croton,
croton bug,
croton oil,
crotonaldehyde,
crotonbug,
crotone
Example sentences from the Web for croton
British Dictionary definitions for croton
croton
/ (ˈkrəʊtən) /
noun
any shrub or tree of the chiefly tropical euphorbiaceous genus Croton, esp C. tiglium, the seeds of which yield croton oil
any of various tropical plants of the related genus Codiaeum, esp C. variegatum pictum, a house plant with variegated foliage
Word Origin for croton
C18: from New Latin, from Greek
krotōn tick, castor-oil plant (whose berries resemble ticks)