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scabious

Syllabification: (sca·bi·ous)
Pronunciation: /ˈskābēəs/
Definition of scabious

noun

  • a plant of the teasel family, with pink, white, or (most commonly) blue pincushion-shaped flowers.
    • Scabiosa, Knautia, and other genera, family Dipsacaceae: several species

adjective

  • affected with mange; scabby.

Origin:

late Middle English: based on Latin scabiosus 'rough, scabby'; the noun is from medieval Latin scabiosa (herba) 'rough, scabby (plant)', formerly regarded as a cure for skin disease (see scabies)

scabious in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of scabious in the British & World English dictionary
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