hellebore

Meaning

Noun

• Any of the common garden flowering plants of the genus Helleborus, in family Ranunculaceae, having supposed medicinal properties.
• A toxic extract of certain false hellebores (Veratrum album (species) or Veratrum viride (species)), formerly used as a pesticide.

Related

Similar words

• Christmas rose

Origin

• From Middle English ellebore, from Old French ellebre, elebore, from Medieval Latin eleborus, via Latin from Ancient Greek ἑλλέβορος, possibly from ἄλκη βιβρώσκω. The initial h was restored in English to reflect the Ancient Greek etymology.