hellebore

Meaning

1. (countable, uncountable) Any of the common garden flowering plants of the genus Helleborus, in family Ranunculaceae, having supposed medicinal properties.
2. (countable, uncountable) A toxic extract of certain false hellebores (Veratrum album or Veratrum viride), formerly used as a pesticide.

Synonyms

false hellebore

Christmas rose

Translations

elleboro

ellébore

nieskruid

hellébore

Christrose

kerstroos

Nieswurz

karacaot

çöpleme

ελλέβορος

Schneerose

heléboro

Lenzrosen

rose de Noël

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈhɛlɪbɔː/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: ellebore

In summary

From Middle English ellebore, from Old French ellebre, elebore, from Medieval Latin eleborus, via Latin from Ancient Greek ἑλλέβορος (helléboros), possibly from ἄλκη (álkē, “elk [moose]”) βιβρώσκω (bibrṓskō, “to eat”). The initial h was restored in English to reflect the Ancient Greek etymology.