Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “citronella” come from?

citronella (English) comes from French citronnelle, from French citron, from German zitrone, from Italian citrone, from Latin citron, from Ancient Greek κίτρον, from Latin citrum, from Latin cī̆trus — cedar; anything made of cedar-wood; cedar-oil.

citronella (English): A tropical Asian grass, Cymbopogon nardus, that...

Definitions

  1. A tropical Asian grass, Cymbopogon nardus, that...

Ancestry of “citronella”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Frenchcitronnellelemongrass; citronella
2Frenchcitronlemon; lime; brimstone
3Germanzitrone—
4Italiancitrone—
5Latincitron—
6Ancient Greekκίτρονfruit of the citron tree
7Latincitrumnominative neuter singular of citer; accusative...
8Latincī̆trus—
9Greekκέδροςcedar
10Ancient Greekκέδροςcedar; anything made of cedar-wood; cedar-oil
Every word from Ancient Greek κέδρος →