ginseng
designating a family (Araliaceae, order Apiales) of dicotyledonous plants, shrubs, and trees, usually having flat clusters of small, white or greenish flowers and, often, fragrant leaves, including Hercules'-club and English ivy
Origin of ginseng
Chinese j?n sh?n from j?n, man (from the shape of the root) + sh?n, the constellation Orion- any of several perennial herbs (genus Panax) of the ginseng family, with thick, forked, aromatic roots, esp. a Chinese species (P. pseudoginseng) and a North American species (P. quinquefolium)
- such a root, or a preparation made from it, used as a tonic
ginseng
noun
- Any of several plants of the genus Panax, especially P. ginseng of East Asia or P. quinquefolius of North America, having small greenish flowers grouped in umbels, palmately compound leaves, and forked roots used in herbal medicine.
- The roots or preparations of the roots of any of these plants.
Origin of ginseng
Mandarin rénshēn from Middle Chinese rin &shookr;əm rin human being, person &shookr;əm ginseng ( the plant perhaps being so called in Middle Chinese because its forked root resembles the human figure )ginseng
