fumitory

American  

[fyoo-mi-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee] / ˈfyu mɪˌtɔr i, -ˌtoʊr i /

noun

plural

fumitories

1. any plant of the genus Fumaria, especially a delicate herb, F. officinalis, having finely dissected, grayish leaves and spikes of purplish flowers.

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fumitory British  

/ ˈfjuːmɪtərɪ, -trɪ /

noun

1. any plant of the chiefly European genus Fumaria , esp F. officinalis , having spurred flowers and formerly used medicinally: family Fumariaceae

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Etymology

Origin of fumitory

1350–1400; alteration of earlier fumiterre, Middle English fumetere < Middle French < Medieval Latin fūmus terrae literally, smoke of the earth; literal sense uncertain

Example Sentences

Some fumitory appeared this summer in a field of barley; till then I had not observed any for some time in that district.

From Nature Near London by Jefferies, Richard

"It is the bulbous-rooted fumitory," said the young man, pulling a piece at random in the reckless way in which men do disfigure forest flower-beds.

From Brothers of Pity and Other Tales of Beasts and Men by Ewing, Juliana Horatia Gatty

The climbing fumitory comes up of itself from seed every year, and is now running over bushes, stakes, and strings, and is full of fern-like leaves and flesh-colored flowers.

From Scientific American Supplement, No. 299, September 24, 1881 by Various

Amongst the loose stone-work of the walled lanes, where beryl-backed lizards peep in and out of every crevice, can be found fragrant violets and the delicate fumitory with its pink waxy bells.

From The Naples Riviera by Vaughan, Herbert M. (Herbert Millingchamp)

The juice of fumitory is said to clear the sight, and the kennel-wort was once a popular specific for the king's-evil.

From The Folk-lore of Plants by Dyer, T. F. Thiselton (Thomas Firminger Thiselton)