tormentil

[ tawr-men-til ]

/ ˈtɔr mɛn tɪl /

Save This Word!

noun

a low European plant, Potentilla erecta, of the rose family, having small, bright-yellow flowers, and a strongly astringent root used in medicine and in tanning and dyeing.

QUIZ

CAN YOU ANSWER THESE COMMON GRAMMAR DEBATES?

There are grammar debates that never die; and the ones highlighted in the questions in this quiz are sure to rile everyone up once again. Do you know how to answer the questions that cause some of the greatest grammar debates?

Question 1 of 7

Which sentence is correct?

His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of tormentil

1350–1400; Middle English tormentille<Medieval Latin tormentilla, equivalent to Latin torment(um) torment + -illa diminutive suffix

Words nearby tormentil

to rights, torii, Torino, Tormé, torment, tormentil, tormentor, torn, tornado, Tornado Alley, tornaria

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use tormentil in a sentence

Tormentil, tor′men-til, n. a genus of plants, one species with an astringent woody root.
Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 4 of 4: S-Z and supplements)|Various
They made tea sometimes of the tormentil, whose little yellow flowers appear along the furrows.
Round About a Great Estate|Richard Jefferies
The roots of bistort and tormentil, and bark of pomegranate, equal parts.
Cooley's Practical Receipts, Volume II|Arnold Cooley
Joined with galls or tormentil, and given in sufficient quantity, it has not failed in any intermittents in which I have tried it.
Cooley's Cyclopdia of Practical Receipts and Collateral Information in the Arts, Manufactures, Professions, and Trades..., Sixth Edition, Volume I|Arnold Cooley

The green leaves of the Tormentil are soft and fine, with a few downy hairs on the front.
Flowers Shown to the Children|C. E. Smith

British Dictionary definitions for tormentil

tormentil

/ (ˈtɔːməntɪl) /

noun

a rosaceous downy perennial plant, Potentilla erecta, of Europe and W Asia, having serrated leaves, four-petalled yellow flowers, and an astringent root used in medicine, tanning, and dyeingAlso called: bloodroot

Word Origin for tormentil

C15: from Old French tormentille, from Medieval Latin tormentilla, from Latin tormentum agony; referring to its use in relieving pain; see torment

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