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hellebore Definition

hel·le·bore (helə bôr′)

noun

  1. any of a genus (Helleborus) of poisonous, winter-blooming plants of the buttercup family, with buttercuplike flowers of various colors: the rhizomes of a black European species (H. niger) were formerly used as a heart stimulant and cathartic
  2. any of a genus (Veratrum) of poisonous plants of the lily family: the white hellebore (V. album) and the false hellebore (V. viride) were formerly used as cathartics, etc.

Etymology: altered (after Gr) < ME ellebore < OFr < L helleborus < Gr helleboros, orig. prob. “plant eaten by fawns” < hellos, var. of ellos, fawn < base of elaphos, deer + bora, food (of beasts): for IE base see elk & voracious

hellebore Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • include: In total we added a further 13 species to the list, including stinking hellebore ( planted?
  • grow: If you want to grow hellebores from seed, they should be sown in July.
  • have: Petch and Swann had the hellebore at the Bath Hills, Ditchingham, South Norfolk!

Adjective modifier

  • black: Theophrastus ( 300 B.C. ) stated that " The white and black Hellebore appear to have nothing in common except the name.
  • green: Its even rarer cousin, the green hellebore, is an equally attractive plant, flowering in late winter and early spring.
  • white: There are also many other varieties of the plant, including green and white hellebore.
  • stinking: In total we added a further 13 species to the list, including stinking hellebore ( planted?
  • flowering: We then both noticed a flowering Hellebore that was growing from thick leaf mold in the ditch.
  • other: Other hellebores have also been used to create garden hybrids including Helleborus argutifolius and H. lividus.

Modifies a noun

  • helleborus: One February morning some years ago my brother and I set out from Cromer to look for stinking hellebore Helleborus foetidus.
  • leaf: Pest & disease watch Hellebore leaf spot can be a problem on old foliage of hellebores.
  • spot: Pest & disease watch Hellebore leaf spot can be a problem on old foliage of hellebores.
  • foetidus: One February morning some years ago my brother and I set out from Cromer to look for stinking hellebore Helleborus foetidus.
  • viridis: Also coming into flower is the green hellebore Helleborus viridis.
  • hybridus: Plants of Hellebore hybridus and many of the smaller species will stay undisturbed for many years so thorough preparation is essential.

Noun used with modifier

  • name: The common name hellebore has given rise to confusion since Ancient times.

Browse dictionary entries near hellebore

  1. helldiver
  2. hellcat
  3. hellbroth
  4. hellbox
  5. hellbent
  6. hellbender
  7. Hellas
  8. Helladic
  9. hellacious
  10. hell week
  1. Hellen
  2. Hellene
  3. Hellenic
  4. Hellenism
  5. Hellenist
  6. Hellenistic
  7. Hellenize
  8. Hellenologophobia
  9. heller
  10. helleri