Loosestrife definition
Any of various plants of the genus Lythrum, having spikes of purple or white flowers, especially the purple loosestrife.
noun
Any of various perennial plants of the genus Lysimachia, having usually yellow flowers.
noun
Any of a genus (Lysimachia) of plants of the primrose family, with leafy stems and loose spikes of white, rose, or yellow flowers.
noun
Any of a genus (Lythrum) of plants of the loosestrife family, esp. purple loosestrife (L. salicaria) with spikes of purple flowers.
noun
Designating a family (Lythraceae, order Myrtales) of chiefly tropical dicotyledonous plants, including henna.
adjective
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Any of certain flowering plants of the genera Lythrum and Lysimachia, which are not closely related.
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun
Singular:
loosestrife
Plural:
loosestrifesOrigin of loosestrife
- Mistranslation of Latin lȳsimachīa (as if from Greek lusis loosening) (Greek makhē battle) from Greek lūsimakheios perhaps after Lūsimakhos , Lysimachos, Greek physician of the fifth or fourth century bc
From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition