Word Study
hosta
CIDE DICTIONARY
hosta, prop. n.
A genus of robust East Asian clump-forming perennial herbs having racemose flowers: plantain lilies; sometimes placed in the family Hostaceae . [WordNet 1.5]
OXFORD DICTIONARY
hosta, n. any perennial garden plant of the genus Hosta (formerly Funkia) with green or variegated ornamental leaves and loose clusters of tubular mauve or white flowers.
Etymology
mod.L, f. N. T. Host, Austrian physician d. 1834
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