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comfrey

(kum′frē)

any of a genus (Symphytum) of European plants of the borage family, with rough, hairy leaves and small blue, purplish, or yellow flowers, sometimes used for forage or ornament

Origin: ME & OFr confirie < VL *confervia, comfrey, for L conferva, a water plant < confervere, to heal, grow together, orig., to seethe, boil together < com-, with + fervere, to boil (see fervent): from use in medicine to congeal wounds

See comfrey in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun pl. com·freys

Any of various hairy perennial Eurasian herbs of the genus Symphytum, especially S. officinale, having variously colored flowers in coiled cymes and long used in herbal medicine. Also called healing herb.

Origin:

Origin: Middle English comferi

Origin: , from Old French cumfirie

Origin: , from Vulgar Latin *cōnfervia

Origin: , from Latin cōnferva

Origin: , from cōnfervēre, to boil together

Origin: : com-, com-

Origin: + fervēre, to boil; see fervent

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