comfrey

[ kuhm-free ]

noun

, plural com·freys.

1. any coarse Eurasian plant belonging to the genus Symphytum, of the borage family, as the widely cultivated S. officinale, having hairy, lance-shaped leaves and drooping clusters of small, white, rose-colored, or purplish flowers.

comfrey

/ ˈkʌmfrɪ /

noun

1. any hairy Eurasian boraginaceous plant of the genus Symphytum, having blue, purplish-pink, or white flowers

Word History and Origins

Origin of comfrey¹

1275–1325; Middle English cumfirie, conferye < Anglo-French cumfirie, Old French confire < Medieval Latin *confervia for Latin conferva conferva

Word History and Origins

Origin of comfrey¹

C15: from Old French cunfirie, from Latin conferva water plant; see conferva

Example Sentences

Lavallée in his note (p. 94) translates this consoude, which in English is comfrey, Latin Symphytum.

From Project Gutenberg

Where undisturbed the comfrey grows to a great size, the stems becoming very thick.

From Project Gutenberg

Yellow loosestrife is rising, thick comfrey stands at the very edge; the sandpipers run where the shore is free from bushes.

From Project Gutenberg

Mr. Comfrey made a deprecatory gesture, and Fred said, rather roughly: "What do I care about all that?"

From Project Gutenberg

Mrs. Comfrey seemed hardly to consider herself, and certainly Miss Baldwin didn't consider her, on an equality with Mrs. Eldridge.

From Project Gutenberg