heliotrope
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heliotrope
- /ˈhiː.li.ə.tɹəʊp/ UK
- /ˈhɛ-/ UK
- /-lɪ.əʊ-/ UK
- /ˈhi.li.əˌtɹoʊp/ US
Where it comes from
PIE word
*sóh₂wl̥
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). By surface analysis, helio- + -trope.
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.
noun heliotropes
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A plant with flowers which turn to face and follow the sun, such as (archaic) marigolds and sunflowers.
In the Opale, there be obſerved alſo divers blemiſhes and imperfections as vvell as in other ſtones; namely, if the colour reſemble the floure of that hearbe vvhich is called Heliotropium, id eſt, Turneſole:[…]
Similar: heliotropian, turnsole
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A plant of the genus Heliotropium, especially a common heliotrope (Heliotropium arborescens), which has clusters of purple flowers with a strong fragrance.
As they entered now, it seemed a blaze of roses and carnations, though one recognised in a moment the presence of the lily, the heliotrope, and the stock.
Similar: heliotropian, turnsole, cherry pie, garden heliotrope
-
With a qualifying word: any of various plants resembling those of the genus Heliotropium.
Similar: heliotropian, turnsole
- The fragrance of Heliotropium arborescens flowers, or a scent resembling this fragrance. He had lost his affable smile, and wore a look of almost military resolution; […] he had always smelt so much more of heliotrope than of gunpowder.
- A light purple or violet colour like that of Heliotropium arborescens flowers. Kit woke to see looming over him the face of Dr. Willi Dingkopf, framed by a haircut in violation of more than one law of physics, and a vivid necktie in fuchsia, heliotrope, and duck green, a gift from one of the patients, […]
- 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).
- An ancient type of sundial consisting of a bowl with a perpendicular gnomon mounted in the centre.
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Synonym of bloodstone (“a green chalcedony that is sprinkled with red spots or veins of hematite”).
The pretious ſtone Heliotropium, is found in Æthiopia, Affricke, and Cyprus: the ground thereof is a deepe greene in manner of a leeke, but the ſame is garniſhed vvith veins of bloud: the reaſon of the name Heliotropium is this, For that if it be throvvne into a paile of vvater, it chaungeth the rai
Similar: bloodstone
adjective more heliotrope · most heliotrope
- Of a light purple or violet colour like that of Heliotropium arborescens flowers. "Lady in a heliotrope dress with a lace collar, three flounces on the skirt?" / "That's right, Mr. Bennett," agreed old Goslin. / "It's the Babe himself!" asserted Harry Bennett.
Translations
Every language
noun plant with flowers which turn to face and follow the sun
| Português | heliotrópio |
|---|---|
| Ελληνικά | ηλιοτρόπιο iliotrópio |
noun plant of the genus Heliotropium; any of various plants resembling those of the genus Heliotropium
| Español | heliotropo |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | 해꽃 haekkot |
| 日本語 | ヘリオトロープ heriotorōbu |
| 中文 | 天芥菜 tiānjiècài |
| Português | heliotropo |
| Français | héliotrope |
| Deutsch | Sonnenwende |
| Italiano | eliotropio |
| Ελληνικά | ηλιοτρόπιο iliotrópio |
| Română | heliotrop |
| Русский | гелиотро́п geliotróp |
| العربية | رَقِيب الشَّمْسِ raqīb aš-šamsi, غُبَيْرَاء ḡubayrāʔ |
| עברית | עֹקֶץ־עַקְרָב ókets-akráv |
noun Heliotropium arborescens
| 日本語 | ヘリオトロープ heriotorōpu |
|---|---|
| Português | heliotrópio, heliotropo |
| Deutsch | Heliotrop, Sonnenwende, Vanilleblume |
| Italiano | eliotropo |
| Ελληνικά | ηλιοτρόπιο iliotrópio |
| Русский | гелиотро́п geliotróp, солнцеворо́т solncevorót |
| Tiếng Việt | vòi voi vani |
noun light purple or violet colour like that of Heliotropium arborescens flowers
| 日本語 | ヘリオトロープ heriotorōbu, 薄紫 usumurasaki |
|---|---|
| Português | púrpura-rosado |
| Deutsch | Heliotrop, Blauviolett |
| Italiano | eliotropo |
noun instrument that uses a mirror to reflect sunlight for purposes such as signalling or triangulation
| 日本語 | ヘリオトロープ heriotorōbu, 回光器 ekōki, 回照器 kaishōki |
|---|
noun synonym of bloodstone — see also bloodstone
| Español | heliotropo |
|---|---|
| 日本語 | ヘリオトロープ heriotorōbu |
| Português | heliotropo, heliotrópio |
| Français | héliotrope |
| Italiano | eliotropio |
| Română | heliotrop |
| Русский | гелиотро́п geliotróp |
Talk about this word "heliotrope." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/heliotrope. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. heliotrope. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/heliotrope "heliotrope." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/heliotrope.Cite this
@misc{heliotrope_2026,
title = {heliotrope},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/heliotrope},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
