Actinidia

noun

Ac·​ti·​nid·​ia

ˌak-tə-ˈni-dē-ə

: a small genus (the type of the family Actinidiaceae) of Asian woody vines having alternate simple leaves, dioecious or polygamous axillary flowers, and many-seeded berries see silvervine

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from New Latin, from Greek aktīn-, aktís "ray, beam, spoke of a wheel" + New Latin -idia (feminine derivative of -idium -idium); probably so called from the radiating arrangement of the stigmata

First Known Use

1861, in the meaning defined above

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