eyebright
Americannoun
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any of various plants belonging to the genus Euphrasia, of the figwort family, as E. officinalis of Europe, formerly used for treating diseases of the eye.
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the scarlet pimpernel. pimpernel
noun
Etymology
Origin of eyebright
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.
The association of ideas was suggestive—the plant eyebright was used for centuries in diseases of the eye because a black speck in the flower suggested the pupil of the eye.
From The Evolution of Modern Medicine A Series of Lectures Delivered at Yale University on the Silliman Foundation in April, 1913 by Osler, William
They were simple flowers, such as I had known in childhood and had not found in Virginia—yarrow, and queen of the meadow, and bluebells, and the little eyebright.
From Salute to Adventurers by Buchan, John
Euphrasy or eyebright with its little bright eye was a medicine for sore eyes.
From Masters of the Guild by Lamprey, L.
Several of the old poets praise the eyebright, or euphrasia, which has a black pupil-like spot on the corolla; therefore, it was thought by our ancestors to make a good eye-lotion.
From Chatterbox, 1906 by Clarke, J. Erskine (John Erskine)
Did yon ever see such lovely white violets?" she said; "and is not that eyebright delicate, with its edging of colour?
From Nobody by Warner, Susan
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.
