rosa

rosa — noun

1. Rosa is not a common word in English. The name for the flower is 'rose'. You may

1.noun
Definition

Rosa is not a common word in English. The name for the flower is 'rose'. You may see 'rosa' in scientific plant names (Rosa) or as a person's name.

Example

Rosa brought a basket of fresh fruit to share with her classmates at lunch.

personal name: Rosa as a feminine given name

Professor Lin pointed at a Rosa plant in the botanical garden and explained its history.

scientific genus: Rosa in botanical garden context

Usage Note

In everyday English, use 'rose' for the flower. The word 'rosa' is usually only found as a person's name (Rosa) or in scientific plant names.

Common Mistakes

I bought a rosa for my mother.
I bought a rose for my mother.
In everyday English, the flower is called a rose, not a rosa.

Etymology

Latin

Borrowed from Latin rosa meaning 'rose'. In English, rosa is not a common noun — the everyday word for the flower is rose. Rosa appears in English only as a feminine given name (e.g., Rosa Parks, Rosa Luxemburg) or as the botanical genus name Rosa (capitalised, scientific Latin).