The noun carnation first appeared in English in a 1533 French language textbook, describing the rosy pink color of the flowers. The word was borrowed from French, where it also referred to the hue. The etymology of the word has been debated, with one theory suggesting influence from the word coronation due to the crown-like appearance of the petals. The Oxford English Dictionary proposes that it comes from the Latin word carnatio, meaning “fleshiness”, highlighting the connection to the color. Additionally, etymology research reveals that carnatio is derived from Latin caro and Proto-Indo-European sker, meaning “flesh” and “cut” respectively.
