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elecampane

[el-i-kam-peyn]
noun
  1. a composite weed, Inula helenium, naturalized in North America, having large yellow flowers and aromatic leaves and root.
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Origin of elecampane

1350–1400; Middle English, equivalent to Old English ele(ne), eolone (metathetic alteration of Medieval Latin enula, Latin inula elecampane) + Middle English campane < Medieval Latin campāna, equivalent to camp(us) field + -āna, feminine of -ānus -ane, -an
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for elecampane

Historical Examples

  • The Elecampane (I. Helenium) is an imposing, robust-growing species, having large, broad leaves a foot or more in length.

    Scientific American Supplement, No. 433, April 19, 1884

    Various

  • A peculiar starch-like substance, first obtained by Rose from the root of Inula Helenium or elecampane.

  • Then the elecampane wine did good service; yet was it not till she had drunk of it many times that her tongue spoke plainly again.

  • Inulin, in′ū-lin, n. a starch-like product used in medicine, obtained principally from the roots of the plant Inula or Elecampane.

  • In the marsh she knew the Harvester was reaping queen-of-the-meadow, and around the high borders, elecampane and burdock.

    The Harvester

    Gene Stratton Porter

British Dictionary definitions for elecampane

elecampane

noun
  1. a perennial flowering plant, Inula helenium, of Europe, Asia, and North America having large hairy leaves and narrow yellow petals: family Asteraceae (composites)
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Word Origin

C16: from Medieval Latin enula campãna, from enula (from Greek helenion) + campãnus of the field
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