scammony


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Related to scammony: Convolvulus scammonia

scam·mo·ny

 (skăm′ə-nē)
n. pl. scam·mo·nies
1.
a. An eastern Mediterranean plant (Convolvulus scammonia) having large roots that yield a resin formerly used as a cathartic.
b. A Mexican plant (Ipomoea orizabensis) yielding a similar resin.
2. A cathartic preparation obtained from these resins.

[Middle English scamonie, from Old English scammōniam and from Old French scamonie, both from Latin scammōnea, from Greek skammōniā.]
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

scammony

(ˈskæmənɪ)
n, pl -nies
1. (Plants) a twining Asian convolvulus plant, Convolvulus scammonia, having arrow-shaped leaves, white or purple flowers, and tuberous roots
2. (Plants) a resinous juice obtained from the roots of this plant and having purgative properties
3. (Plants) any of various similar medicinal resins or the plants that yield them
[Old English, via Latin from Greek skammōnia, of obscure origin]
scammoniate adj
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

scam•mo•ny

(ˈskæm ə ni)

n., pl. -nies.
1. a twining Asian convolvulus, Convolvulus scammonia.
2. any of various plants having roots yielding a medicinal resin, esp. Ipomoea orizabensis.
3. the resin from any such roots.
[before 1000; Middle English scamonie, Old English < Latin scamōnia < Greek skamōnía]
scam•mo•ni•ate (skæˈmoʊ ni ɪt) adj.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Noun1.scammony - tropical American morning gloryscammony - tropical American morning glory  
morning glory - any of various twining vines having funnel-shaped flowers that close late in the day
2.scammony - resin from the root of Convolvulus scammonia
natural resin - a plant exudate
3.scammony - twining plant of Asia Minor having cream-colored to purple flowers and long thick roots yielding a cathartic resinscammony - twining plant of Asia Minor having cream-colored to purple flowers and long thick roots yielding a cathartic resin
convolvulus - any of numerous plants of the genus Convolvulus
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
References in classic literature ?
I am off, to cultivate the field of public indigestion with the triple plowshare of aloes, scammony and gamboge." He stopped and turned round at the door.
one-quarter dirham of each; one tassuj of scammony; one-half daniq of
on strange musical instruments constructed of the commonplace materia medicae, the turbith, scammony, cassia, rhubarb prescribed by Paracelsus.