tə̇ˈthōnēə, -nyə noun
Etymology: New Latin, probably from Latin Tithonis, poetical name of Aurora, goddess of the dawn (from her marriage to Tithonus, son of Laomedon) + New Latin -ia
1. capitalized : a genus of tall herbs (family Compositae) that are natives of Mexico and Central America but grown farther north as annual ornamentals and have alternate leaves and flower heads resembling sunflowers
2. -s : any plant of the genus Tithonia — called also Mexican sunflower