nasturtium

noun

1. any plant of the genus Tropaeolum, cultivated for its showy, usually orange, red, or yellow flowers or for its fruit, which is pickled and used like capers.

noun

1. any of various plants of the genus Tropaeolum, esp T. major, having round leaves and yellow, red, or orange trumpet-shaped spurred flowers: family Tropaeolaceae

n.mid-12c., “plant of the mustard family, like watercress,” from Latin nasturtium “cress;” the popular etymology explanation of the name (Pliny) is that it is from Latin *nasitortium, literally “nose-twist,” from nasus “nose” (see nose (n.)) + past participle of torquere “to twist” (see thwart); the plant so called for its pungent odor. Modern application to a South American trailing plant with orange flowers first recorded 1704.