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herb Paris definition

herb Paris

a woodland plant (Paris quadrifolia) of the lily family, with yellowish-green flowers, similar to the trillium, but having its leaves and flower parts in fours instead of threes

Etymology: ML herba paris, lit. prob., herb of a pair (< L herba, herb + paris, gen. of par, a pair: see par, in allusion to even number of flower parts): assoc. with Paris by folk etym.

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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