cenizo

noun

ce·​ni·​zo

sə-ˈnē-(ˌ)zō,

-(ˌ)sō

plural cenizos

1

Southwest : shad scale

2

West Indies : any of a variety of shrubs and herbs with silver-gray foliage

3

: barometer bush

The bees are really enjoying the cenizos in front of the house, which have turned spectacularly purple with flowers.

—Mike Leggett, Austin American-Statesman, 17 Sept. 2009

Word History

Etymology

American Spanish, from Spanish, white goosefoot, probably from ceniza ashes, from (assumed) Vulgar Latin cinisia, irregular from Latin cinis

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

• More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
• Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
• Advanced search features
• Ad free!