hollyhock Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun any of various plants of the genus Althaea; similar to but having smaller flowers than genus Alcea
    althaea; althea.
  2. noun any of various tall plants of the genus Alcea; native to the Middle East but widely naturalized and cultivated for its very large variously colored flowers

WordNet

Hol"ly*hock noun
Etymology
OE. holihoc; holi holy + hoc mallow, AS. hoc; cf. W. hocys mallows, hocys bendigaid hollyhock, lit., blessed mallow. Prob. so named because brought from the Holy Land. See Holy.
Definitions
  1. (Bot.) A species of Althæa (A. rosea), bearing flowers of various colors; -- called also rose mallow.

Webster 1913