hollyhock

2 definitions found

hollyhock - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  Hollyhock \Hol"ly*hock\, n. [OE. holihoc; holi holy + hoc
     mallow, AS. hoc; cf. W. hocys mallows, hocys bendigaid
     hollyhock, lit., blessed mallow. Prob. so named because
     brought from the Holy Land. See Holy.] (Bot.)
     A species of Alth[ae]a (Alth[ae]a rosea), bearing flowers
     of various colors; -- called also rose mallow.
  
     Note: Rose mallow is listed as a variety of Hibiscus, not
           Hollyhock in several Web pages. Name change???
           [1913 Webster +PJC]

hollyhock - WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005) :

  hollyhock
      n 1: any of various plants of the genus Althaea; similar to but
           having smaller flowers than genus Alcea [syn: althea,
           althaea, hollyhock]
      2: any of various tall plants of the genus Alcea; native to the
         Middle East but widely naturalized and cultivated for its
         very large variously colored flowers