centaury
[ sen-taw-ree ]
/ ˈsɛn tɔ ri /
|
noun, plural cen·tau·ries.
any of various plants belonging to the genus Centaurium, of the gentian family, having clusters of small pink or red flowers.
any of several other plants of the genera Centaurea and Sabatia.
Words nearby centaury
centas, centaur, centaurea, centaurs, centaurus, centaury, centavo, centenarian, centenary, centenionalis, centennial
Origin of centaury
before 1000; Middle English, Old English centaurie < Medieval Latin centauria, apparently < Greek kentaúria, neuter plural (taken in ML as feminine singular) of kentaúrion, noun use of neuter of kentaúrios (adj.), equivalent to kéntaur(os) centaur + -ios adj. suffix; said to be in reference to the centaur Chiron, known for his knowledge of medicinal plants
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for centaury
Mr. Farn recorded six or seven from Ryde in July, 1870; they were feeding on vine and centaury in a garden.
The Moths of the British Isles, First Series|Richard SouthCentaury, common in our fields, enjoyed a very early reputation.
The Mystery and Romance of Alchemy and Pharmacy|Charles John Samuel ThompsonWormwood and centaury, beaten up with aloes and colocynth, and applied over the belly.
British Dictionary definitions for centaury
centaury
/ (ˈsɛntɔːrɪ) /
noun plural -ries
any Eurasian plant of the genus Centaurium, esp C. erythraea, having purplish-pink flowers and formerly believed to have medicinal properties: family Gentianaceae
any plant of the genus Centaurea, which includes the cornflower and knapweed: family Compositae (composites)
Word Origin for centaury
C14: ultimately from Greek Kentauros the Centaur; from the legend that Chiron the Centaur divulged its healing properties
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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