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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

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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