əˈzālyə also -lēə noun
Etymology: New Latin, from Greek, feminine of azaleos dry; from the supposition that it grows well in dry ground; akin to Czech ozd malt kiln, Greek azein to parch — more at ardor
1. capitalized , in some classifications : a genus of shrubs or trees with deciduous leaves and funnel-shaped flowers now usually considered a subgenus of Rhododendron
2. -s : any plant of the genus or subgenus Azalea
3. -s : a grayish red that is bluer than bois de rose, bluer, stronger, and slightly darker than Pompeian red, and stronger than appleblossom