lovage

Meaning

Noun

• A perennial Mediterranean herb, Levisticum officinale (species), with odor and flavor resembling celery.
• A liquor made from this herb.
• Various species in the genus Ligusticum

Origin

• From Middle English loveache, a folk etymology alteration, after love and ache, of Anglo-Norman luvasche and Old French luvache, loveche et al., and Middle French levesche, from Latin levisticum, probably alteration of Latin ligusticum, substantivization of the neuter of Ligusticus, ultimately from Ancient Greek Λιγυστικός, from Λίγυς. This replaced the Old English name lufestiċe, which was also derived from levisticum and altered by folk-etymology.