Echinacea definition

ĕkə-nāsē-ə, -nāshə

Any of a genus (Echinacea) of North American plants of the composite family, esp. a coneflower (E. purpurea) with purple flowers.

noun

Any of several coneflowers of the genus Echinacea, having usually pinkish-purple ray flowers.

noun

The roots, seeds, or other parts of such a plant, used in herbal medicine.

noun

Any of several coneflowers of the genus Echinacea, having usually pinkish-purple ray flowers.

noun

A medicinal herb made from the roots, leaves, etc. of certain of these plants.

noun

The roots, seeds, or other parts of such a plant, used in herbal medicine.

noun

(countable) Any of several plants, of genus Echinacea, having pinkish-purple flowers.

noun

(uncountable) A herbal medicine extracted from the roots and seeds of such plants.

noun

(plant of genus Echinacea): purple coneflower.

hyponyms

A taxonomic superorder within the subclass Euechinoidea — sea urchins with solid spines and gills.

pronoun

A taxonomic genus within the tribe Heliantheae — the coneflowers.

pronoun

Other Word Forms

Singular:

echinacea

Plural:

echinaceas

New Latin Echīnācea genus name from Latin echīnus sea urchin (from its rough leaves) echinus

From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
From scientific Latin Echinacea, from Ancient Greek ἐχῖνος (ekhinos, “hedgehog”) (because of the soft "spines" in the centre of the flower) +‎ -acea.

From Wiktionary
From Latin echinus (“sea anemone”) +‎ -acea (“resembling”)

From Wiktionary
Echinus (“species of anemone”) +‎ -acea

From Wiktionary