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veratrine definition

vera·trine (ver′ə trēn′, -trin)

noun

  1. a poisonous mixture of colorless, crystalline alkaloids obtained from sabadilla seeds
  2. veratridine

Etymology: ModL veratrina < L veratrum, hellebore, prob. orig. “plant which reveals truth” < verus, true (see very): the pulverized root causes sneezing, regarded in primitive belief as confirmation of truth

Also veratria ve·ra′·tria (və rā′trē ə)

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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