archaeophyte

Meaning

Noun

• A plant which was introduced to an area by humans (or arrived naturally, but from an area in which it was present as a human introduction) and became naturalized before 1500 (but especially in prehistoric times).

Origin

• From archaeo- + -phyte. Archaeo- is derived from Ancient Greek ἀρχαῖος, from ᾰ̓ρχή (from ἄρχω + -ῐος; while -phyte is from Ancient Greek φῠτόν, from φῠ́ω + -ον.