WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026
ru•bi•a•ceous
(ro̅o̅′bē ā′shəs),USA pronunciation adj.
- Plant Biologybelonging to the Rubiaceae, the madder family of plants. Cf. madder family.
- Neo-Latin Rubiace(ae) name of family (Rubi(a) genus name (Latin rubia madder, akin to ruber red1) + -aceae -aceae) + -ous
- 1825–35
'rubiaceous' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
bedstraw
- cinchona
- cleavers
- coffee tree
- gambier
- gardenia
- ipecacuanha
- kratom
- lady's bedstraw
- madder
- woodruff