water pimpernel

noun

: either of two small white-flowered herbs (Samolus valerandi of Eurasia and S. parviflorus synonym S. floribundus of America) of the primrose family that grow in wet places

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1760, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of water pimpernel was circa 1760

See more words from the same year

Cite this Entry

Style

“Water pimpernel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/water%20pimpernel. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.

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