goat's-rue
Americannoun
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Also called catgut. a hairy American plant, Tephrosia virginiana, of the legume family, having yellow and pink flowers.
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a European plant, Galega officinalis, of the legume family, formerly used in medicine.
noun
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Also called: French lilac. a Eurasian leguminous plant, Galega officinalis, cultivated for its white, mauve, or pinkish flowers: formerly used medicinally
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a North American leguminous plant, Tephrosia virginiana, with pink-and-yellow flowers
Etymology
Origin of goat's-rue
First recorded in 1570–80
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.
It is now before me, with a few sprays of the pink sweet pea and a bold spike of the white variety of goat's-rue; the blend is both delicate and effective.
From Hardy Perennials and Old Fashioned Flowers Describing the Most Desirable Plants, for Borders, Rockeries, and Shrubberies. by John Wood
I suspect this to be a mistake; for I never yet heard that goat's-rue was found by any man growing wild in England.-J.
From The Natural History of Wiltshire by John Aubrey
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
