figwort
Syllabification: (fig·wort)
Pronunciation: /ˈfigˌwərt, -ˌwôrt/
Definition of figwort
noun
- a widely distributed herbaceous plant with purplish-brown two-lobed flowers. It was formerly considered to be effective in the treatment of scrofula.
- Genus Scrophularia, family Scrophulariaceae (the figwort family): several species. Plants of this family have distinctive two-lobed flowers and include the snapdragons, toadflaxes, foxgloves, mulleins, monkey flowers, and speedwells
Origin:
mid 16th century: from obsolete fig 'piles' + wort. The word originally denoted the pilewort, or lesser celandine, which was used as a treatment for piles; the current sense dates from the late 16th century