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belladonna Definition

bella·donna (bel′ə dän′ə)

noun

  1. a poisonous European plant (Atropa belladonna) of the nightshade family, with purplish or reddish bell-shaped flowers and shiny black berries; deadly nightshade: it is a source of atropine
  2. atropine

Etymology: ModL < It bella donna, lit., beautiful lady: a folk etym. (infl. by cosmetic use for dilating the eye) for ML bladona, nightshade, prob. < Gaul

belladonna Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • contain: SCULLY: Mulder, do you know how many pharmaceuticals listed in the PDR contain belladonna?

Modifies a noun

  • alkaloid: SCULLY: " An anti-spasmodic whose active ingredients include belladonna alkaloids " MULDER: Belladonna.
  • lily: They are members of the amaryllis family and look very much like the Cape belladonna lily of South Africa, Amaryllis belladonna.
  • trip: It is possible to overdose on a number of prescription asthma drugs and thus obtain a rather unpleasant belladonna trip courtesy of the NHS!