centaury

American  

[sen-taw-ree] / ˈsɛn tɔ ri /

noun

• centauries
  plural

1. any of various plants belonging to the genus Centaurium, of the gentian family, having clusters of small pink or red flowers.

2. any of several other plants of the genera Centaurea and Sabatia.

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centaury British  

/ ˈsɛntɔːrɪ /

noun

1. any Eurasian plant of the genus Centaurium, esp C. erythraea, having purplish-pink flowers and formerly believed to have medicinal properties: family Gentianaceae

2. any plant of the genus Centaurea, which includes the cornflower and knapweed: family Compositae (composites)

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• centauries
  plural

Etymology

Origin of centaury

First recorded before 1000; Middle English, Old English centaurie, from Medieval Latin centauria, apparently from Greek kentaúria, neuter plural (taken in Medieval Latin as feminine singular) of kentaúrion, noun use of neuter of kentaúrios (adjective), equivalent to kéntaur(os) “centaur” + -ios adjective suffix; said to be in reference to the centaur Chiron, known for his knowledge of medicinal plants; see Chiron ( def. )

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

centaury centauries

In my hand is a steaming mug of Dr Stuart’s “Liver Detox” naturally caffeine-free tea, containing dandelion root, centaury herb and milk thistle.

From The Guardian ● Jan. 29, 2017

Sometimes they scuttled along open turf, colored like a tapestry meadow with self-heal, centaury and tormentil.

From "Watership Down: A Novel" by Richard Adams

They are the yellow-flowered centaury, the mountain centaury, the star-thistle and the rough centaury: the first predominates.

From The Wonders of Instinct Chapters in the Psychology of Insects by Teixeira de Mattos, Alexander

He had hanging in the attic great bunches of dried herbs: wormwood, rue, horehound, elder flowers, parsley-purt, marshmallow, hyssop, dandelion, and centaury.

From Sons and Lovers by Lawrence, D. H. (David Herbert)

The thorny asparagus, A. retrofractus, is found in abundance in the woods; it tears the clothes, and the centaury of Egypt pricks the legs.

From Narrative of a Voyage to Senegal in 1816 Undertaken by Order of the French Government, Comprising an Account of the Shipwreck of the Medusa, the Sufferings of the Crew, and the Various Occurrences on Board the Raft, in the Desert of Zaara, at St. Louis, and at the Camp of Daccard. to Which Are Subjoined Observations Respecting the Agriculture of the Western Coast of Africa, from Cape Blanco to the Mouth of the Gambia. by Corréard, Alexandre

I find both sexes wassailing on the flowers, especially the Compositae, the centauries and thistles.

From Bramble-Bees and Others by Teixeira de Mattos, Alexander

After dinner we went out and sat together upon the bank of the noisy river; we sat in a meadow overgrown with centauries and sweet marjoram, recognizable in the darkness because of their penetrating odor.

From The Story of a Child by Smith, Caroline F.

Next, in respect of number, come the centauries, grim-looking one and all, bristling with prickles or starry halberds.

From The Wonders of Instinct Chapters in the Psychology of Insects by Teixeira de Mattos, Alexander

I see the first males appear in the middle of September, on the centauries.

From Bramble-Bees and Others by Teixeira de Mattos, Alexander

Next, in respect of number, come the centauries, grim looking one and all, bristling with prickles or starry halberds.

From The Life of the fly; with which are interspersed some chapters of autobiography by Teixeira de Mattos, Alexander