goldthread

American  

[gohld-thred] / ˈgoʊldˌθrɛd /

noun

1. a white-flowered plant, Coptis trifolia, of the buttercup family, having a slender, yellow root that is sometimes used as a tonic.

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goldthread British  

/ ˈɡəʊldˌθrɛd /

noun

1. a North American woodland ranunculaceous plant, Coptis trifolia (or C. groenlandica ), with slender yellow roots

2. the root of this plant, which yields a medicinal tonic and a dye

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Etymology

Origin of goldthread

An Americanism dating back to 1770–80; gold + thread

Example Sentences

Workers here sort through tons of waste in search of recyclable scraps and toil in workshops sewing goldthread embroidery to ornament fancy clothes.

From Washington Post

But she didn’t know many of the others: goldthread, blue aralia, skullcap.

From Literature

In fact, the strains they produced can make molecules that are normally found in poppy, goldthread, bacteria — and even in rats.

From The Verge

Crescents, stars, moons and suns were in goldthread embroidery on the small fez that Elijah Muhammad wore.

From Literature

Catherine took many long jaunts to gather her herbs—thoroughwort, goldthread, catnip, comfrey, skullcap, pennyroyal, lobelia, peppermint, old-man's-root, snakehead and others of greater or less medicinal value.

From Project Gutenberg