colicroot

[ kol-ik-root, -root ]

noun
  1. either of two North American plants, Aletris farinosa or A. aurea, of the lily family, having small yellow or white flowers in a spikelike cluster and a root reputed to relieve colic.

  2. any of certain other plants having roots reputed to cure colic.

  1. the blazing star, Liatris squarrosa.

Origin of colicroot

1
An Americanism dating back to 1830–40; colic + root1

Words Nearby colicroot

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How to use colicroot in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for colicroot

colicroot

/ (ˈkɒlɪkˌruːt) /


noun
  1. either of two North American liliaceous plants, Aletris farinosa or A. aurea, having tubular white or yellow flowers and a bitter root formerly used to relieve colic

  2. any of various other plants formerly used to relieve colic

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012