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pyrethrum

Pronunciation: /pʌɪˈriːθrəm/

Definition of pyrethrum

noun

  • an aromatic plant of the daisy family, typically having feathery foliage and brightly coloured flowers.
    • Genus Tanacetum (formerly Chrysanthemum or Pyrethrum), family Compositae: several species, in particular T. coccineum, grown as an ornamental, and T. cinerariifolium, grown as a source of the insecticide pyrethrum
  • [mass noun] an insecticide made from the dried flowers of pyrethrum plants.

Origin:

Middle English (denoting pellitory): from Latin, from Greek purethron 'feverfew'. The current senses (based on the former genus name) date from the late 19th century

pyrethrum in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of pyrethrum in the US English dictionary