sage1

noun

• 1an aromatic plant whose greyish-green leaves are used as a culinary herb, native to southern Europe and the Mediterranean.

  • Salvia officinalis, family Labiatae
• used in names of aromatic plants of the mint family that resemble sage, e.g. wood sage.

• 2 (also white sage) either of two bushy North American plants with silvery-grey leaves:

  • an aromatic plant which was formerly burnt by the Cheyenne for its cleansing properties and as an incense (Artemisia ludoviciana, family Compositae). a plant of the goosefoot family (Krascheninnikovia lanata, family Chenopodiaceae).