citronella

[si-truh-nel-uh] Origin

cit·ron·el·la

[si-truh-nel-uh]
noun
1.
a fragrant grass, Cymbopogon nardus, of southern Asia, cultivated as the source of citronella oil.

Origin:
1855–60; < Neo-Latin < French citronelle, equivalent to citron citron + -elle diminutive suffix
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Citronella is always a great word to know.
So is bezoar. Does it mean:
a calculus or concretion found in the stomach or intestines of certain animals, esp. ruminants, formerly reputed to be an effective remedy for poison.
a scrap or morsel of food left at a meal.
Collins
World English Dictionary
citronella (ˌsɪtrəˈnɛlə)
 
n
1.  Also called: citronella grass a tropical Asian grass, Cymbopogon (or Andropogon) nardus, with bluish-green lemon-scented leaves
2.  Also called: citronella oil the yellow aromatic oil obtained from this grass, used in insect repellents, soaps, perfumes, etc
 
[C19: New Latin, from French citronnelle lemon balm, from citron lemon]

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History

citronella
1858, from Fr. citronelle "lemon liquor," from citron (see citrus). Originally an Asiatic grass used in perfumes, later applied to a substance found in lemon oil, etc.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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American Heritage
Science Dictionary
citronella   (sĭt'rə-něl'ə)  Pronunciation Key 
The pale-yellow, lemon-scented oil obtained from the leaves of a tropical Asian grass (Cymbopogon nardus), used in insect repellents and perfumes. Citronella consists primarily of an aldehyde of octane.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
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