bitterroot

Or bit·ter root

[bit-er-root, -root]

noun

1. a plant, Lewisia rediviva, of the purslane family, having pink flowers and fleshy roots root that are edible when young: the state flower of Montana.

Word History and Origins

Origin of bitterroot¹

An Americanism dating back to 1825–35; bitter + root ¹

Example Sentences

In the kitchen, Houseman-Whitehawk cooked green beans, bitterroot and coconut rice on the stove.

Read more on Seattle Times

Standing in a patch of bitterroot, serviceberry and sage at the foot of Elk Mountain, Mr. Hettick called apps such as OnX “the best thing that’s happened to access in years.”

Read more on New York Times

I said, ‘It’s called bitterroot. It’s something that Native Americans used back in the day to numb their tooth when they got a toothache.’

Read more on Los Angeles Times

There were deer, and wild carrots, and bitterroot.

Read more on Seattle Times

No ingredients are listed on the bottle, but according to the president, the drink is derived from artemisia, a bitterroot used in some malaria drugs.

Read more on Washington Times