costmary

American

[kost-mair-ee, kawst-] / ˈkɒstˌmɛər i, ˈkɔst- /

noun

plural

costmaries

a composite plant, Chrysanthemum balsamita, that has silvery, fragrant leaves and is used in salads and as a flavoring.

costmary British

/ ˈkɒstˌmɛərɪ /

noun

Also called: alecost. a herbaceous plant, Chrysanthemum balsamita, native to Asia. Its fragrant leaves were used as a seasoning and to flavour ale: family Asteraceae (composites)

"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

Etymology

Origin of costmary

1325–75; Middle English costmarie, equivalent to cost ( Old English cost costmary < Latin costum, costus a composite herb, Saussurea lappa < Greek kóstos ) + Marie (the Virgin) Mary

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The plant costmary, which was formerly much used for flavoring ale.

From Project Gutenberg

The common perennial sweet-herbs are: Sage, lavender, peppermint, spearmint, hyssop, thyme, marjoram, balm, catnip, rosemary, horehound, fennel, lovage, winter savory, tansy, wormwood, costmary.

From Project Gutenberg

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023