pellitory

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: pel=li=to=ry

CIDE DICTIONARY

pellitory, n. [OE. paritorie, OF. paritoire, F. pariétaire; (cf. It. & Sp. parietaria), L. parietaria the parietary, or pellitory, the wall plant, fr. parietarius belonging to the walls, fr. paries, parietis a wall. Cf. Parietary.].

 The common name of the several species of the genus Parietaria, low, harmless weeds of the Nettle family; -- also called wall pellitory, and lichwort.  [1913 Webster]
" Parietaria officinalis is common on old walls in Europe; Parietaria pennsylvanica is found in the United States; and six or seven more species are found near the Mediterranean, or in the Orient."  [1913 Webster]

pellitory, n. [Sp. pelitre, fr. L. pyrethrum. See Bertram.].

 A composite plant (Anacyclus Pyrethrum) of the Mediterranean region, having finely divided leaves and whitish flowers. The root is the officinal pellitory, and is used as an irritant and sialogogue. Called also bertram, and pellitory of Spain.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

pellitory, n. any of several wild plants, esp.:
1 (in full pellitory of Spain) a composite plant, Anacyclus pyrethrum, with a pungent-flavoured root, used as a local irritant etc.
2 (in full pellitory of the wall) a low bushy plant, Parietaria judaica, with greenish flowers growing on or at the foot of walls.

Etymology

(sense 1) alt. f. ME f. OF peletre, peretre f. L pyrethrum f. Gk purethron feverfew: (sense 2) ult. f. OF paritaire f. LL parietaria f. L paries -etis wall