cranesbill

First attested in the 1500s. Calque of Dutch craenhals; cognate with German Kranichhals and Middle Low German kraneshals, all likely derived from Latin geranium.

By surface analysis, crane +‎ -s- +‎ bill. The flowering plant is so called because of the lengthened appendage of the seed-vessel.

• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈkɹeɪnz.bɪl/

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cranesbill (plural cranesbills)

1. Any flowering plant of the genus Geranium found throughout the temperate zone.
2. A pair of long-beaked forceps.

• The word geranium is also the common name for members of the Pelargonium genus.

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