heliotrope

== English == === Etymology === The noun is borrowed from French héliotrope, from Latin hēliotropium (“plant which turns to face the sun; bloodstone”), from Ancient Greek ἡλῐοτρόπῐον (hēlĭotrópĭon, “European heliotrope (Heliotropium europaeum); bloodstone; solar clock, sundial”), from ἥλῐος (hḗlĭos, “the sun”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *sóh₂wl̥ (“the sun”)) + τρόπος (trópos, “a turn”) (from τρέπω (trépō, “to rotate; to turn”) (from Proto-Indo-European *trep- (“to turn”)) + -ος (-os, suffix forming nouns from verbs)) + -ῐον (-ĭon, diminutive suffix forming nouns). The French-derived spelling displaced Middle English elitrope, eliotropius, elitropium (“plant which turns to face the sun; bloodstone”) [and other forms], from Old English eliotropus, from Latin hēliotropium (see above); and Old English siġelhweorfa, sōlsece, and sunnfolgend (“heliotrope flower”). Noun sense 6 (“synonym of bloodstone”) is from the fact that a piece of the mineral placed in water is said to change the sun’s rays to a blood-red colour: see the 1601 quotation. The adjective is probably derived from the noun. === Pronunciation === (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˈhiː.li.ə.tɹəʊp/, /ˈhɛ-/, /-lɪ.əʊ-/ (General American) IPA(key): /ˈhi.li.əˌtɹoʊp/ Hyphenation: he‧li‧o‧trope === Noun === heliotrope (countable and uncountable, plural heliotropes) (countable, botany, also figuratively) A plant with flowers which turn to face and follow the sun, such as (archaic) marigolds and sunflowers. Synonyms: (obsolete) heliotropian, turnsole (specifically) A plant of the genus Heliotropium, especially the common heliotrope (Heliotropium arborescens) which has clusters of purple flowers with a strong fragrance. Synonyms: cherry pie, garden heliotrope With a qualifying word: any of various plants resembling those of the genus Heliotropium. (uncountable) The fragrance of Heliotropium arborescens flowers, or a scent resembling this fragrance. (uncountable) A light purple or violet colour like that of Heliotropium arborescens flowers. (countable) An instrument that uses a mirror to reflect sunlight for purposes such as signalling, or (surveying) triangulation (where the reflected light is detected by another surveyor positioned some distance away). (signalling): Synonym: (dated) sematrope (surveying): Synonym: helio (countable, historical) An ancient type of sundial consisting of a bowl with a perpendicular gnomon mounted in the centre. (countable, uncountable, mineralogy) Synonym of bloodstone (“a green chalcedony that is sprinkled with red spots or veins of hematite”). ==== Hyponyms ==== hinahina (Heliotropium anomalum) ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Related terms ==== heliotropian (noun) (obsolete) heliotropic heliotropism heliotropy (rare) ==== Translations ==== ==== See also ==== Appendix:Colors sunward === Adjective === heliotrope (comparative more heliotrope, superlative most heliotrope) Of a light purple or violet colour like that of Heliotropium arborescens flowers. ==== Derived terms ==== heliotrope cyanosis ==== Translations ==== === Notes === === References === === Further reading === Heliotropium on Wikipedia.Wikipedia Category:Heliotropium on Wikimedia Commons.Wikimedia Commons Heliotropium on Wikispecies.Wikispecies Heliotropium arborescens on Wikipedia.Wikipedia Category:Heliotropium arborescens on Wikimedia Commons.Wikimedia Commons Heliotropium arborescens on Wikispecies.Wikispecies heliotrope (color) on Wikipedia.Wikipedia heliotrope (instrument) on Wikipedia.Wikipedia heliotrope (mineral) on Wikipedia.Wikipedia heliotrope (disambiguation) on Wikipedia.Wikipedia