scurvy grass

noun

a plant, Cochlearia officinalis, of the mustard family, purported to be a remedy for scurvy.

Nearby words

scurrile, scurrility, scurrilous, scurry, scurvy, scurvy grass, scut, scuta, scutage, scutari, scutate

Origin of scurvy grass

First recorded in 1590–1600

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for scurvy grass

The scurvy-grass and wild celery, moreover, enable “the doctor” to turn out more than one variety of soup.
The Land of Fire|Mayne Reid
They found a small island covered with scurvy-grass (Cochlearia officinalis) the traditional remedy for this painful affliction.
The Golden Book of the Dutch Navigators|Hendrik Willem van Loon
Although there was no fresh beef, there was plenty of scurvy-grass and penguins.
The Phantom Ship|Frederick Marryat
Add to it two ounces of Spirit of Scurvy-grass, and keep it in a bottle, well corked.
The Toilet of Flora|Pierre-Joseph Buc'hoz

Byron obtained several boatloads of cocoanuts and a large quantity of scurvy-grass.
Ocean's Story; or Triumphs of Thirty Centuries|Edward Rowland

British Dictionary definitions for scurvy grass

scurvy grass

noun

any of various plants of the genus Cochlearia, esp C. officinalis, of Europe and North America, formerly used to treat scurvy: family Brassicaceae (crucifers)

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