selfheal

[self-heel]

noun

1. a plant, Prunella vulgaris, of the mint family, having pinnate leaves and tubular violet-blue flowers, formerly believed to have healing properties.

2. any of various other plants believed to have similar properties.

selfheal

/ ˈsɛlfˌhiːl /

noun

1. a low-growing European herbaceous plant, Prunella vulgaris, with tightly clustered violet-blue flowers and reputedly having healing powers: family Lamiaceae (labiates)

2. any of several other plants thought to have healing powers

Word History and Origins

Origin of selfheal¹

First recorded in 1350–1400, selfheal is from the Middle English word selfhele. See self, heal

Example Sentences

I found myself leaning into a strong breeze pushing across the moor, shaking the hairgrass and ruffling the yarrow and selfheal growing prettily against a long drystone wall that bordered the trail and offered me some shelter.

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Try cutting every three or four weeks and let dandelions, daisies and violets bloom in spring, followed by buttercups, clovers and selfheal in summer.

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Nature had the most extraordinary ability to selfheal – but it only works if humans are prepared to meet it halfway. 

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In the grass the short selfheal shows; and, leaning over the gate, on the edge of the wheat you may see the curious prickly seed-vessels of the corn buttercup—the 'hedgehog'—whose spines, however, will not scratch the softest skin.

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Several Herbal Simples go by the name of Selfheal among our wild hedge plants, more especially the Sanicle, the common Prunella, and the Bugle.

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