ooievaarsbek

Dutch

De vrucht van Geranium robertianum (robertskruid), een soort ooievaarsbek, lijkt op de snavel ("bek") van een ooievaar.

Etymology

From ooievaar (“stork”) +‎ -s- +‎ bek (“animal's mouth, beak, bill”). The name refers to the fruit capsule of many species of this genus, which somewhat resembles a stork's bill in shape (see picture). Compare reigersbek (“erodium, storksbill”), which has similar elongated fruits and is similarly named after a bird with an elongated beak.

The genus name Geranium is similarly derived from the Ancient Greek γεράνιον (geránion), a derivate of the word γέρανος (géranos) meaning "crane", another long-billed bird.

Pronunciation

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Noun

ooievaarsbek m (plural ooievaarsbekken, diminutive ooievaarsbekje n)

1. a geranium, cranesbill; any plant of the genus Geranium

   Synonym: geranium

   Hypernym: ooievaarsbekfamilie

Derived terms

• beemdooievaarsbek
• bermooievaarsbek
• bosooievaarsbek
• kleine ooievaarsbek
• moerasooievaarsbek
• ooievaarsbekfamilie
• zachte ooievaarsbek

 

Further reading

• geranium on Wikipedia.Wikipedia