ETYM Greek, prop., a tick, which the seed of the croton resembles.
1. Grown in many varieties for their brightly colored foliage; widely cultivated as a houseplant; SYN. Codiaeum variegatum.
2. Tropical Asiatic shrub; source of croton oil; SYN. Croton tiglium.
(E Indian) tree with seeds yielding an oil used as purge, etc.