colicroot

[ kol-ik-root, -root ]

/ ˈkɒl ɪkˌrut, -ˌrʊt /

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noun

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.

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

the blazing star, Liatris squarrosa.

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Origin of colicroot

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

Words nearby colicroot

Colfax, colic, colicin, colicinogen, colicky, colicroot, colicweed, coliform, coliform bacillus, coliform bacteria, Coligny

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use colicroot in a sentence

Other Common Names — Dioscorea, colicroot, rheumatism-root, devil's bones.
Ginseng and Other Medicinal Plants|A. R. (Arthur Robert) Harding

British Dictionary definitions for colicroot

colicroot

/ (ˈkɒlɪkˌruːt) /

noun

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

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