wood betony

noun

wood bet·o·ny -ˈbe-tə-nē

: a lousewort (Pedicularis canadensis) of eastern North America with yellow or reddish flowers in bracted spikes

Examples of wood betony in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

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Dwarf crested Iris, blue phlox, Canadian wood betony. —

Shahla Farzan, Scientific American, 8 Sep. 2021 Look for low-growing Southwestern Lewisia, brilliant yellow mountain dandelions, wood betony and delicate Fendler’s sandwort growing among pine needles and limestone boulders. —

Mare Czinar, The Arizona Republic, 7 May 2021

Word History

Etymology

Middle English betone, from Anglo-French betoine, from Latin vettonica, betonica, from Vettones, an ancient people inhabiting the Iberian Peninsula

First Known Use

1747, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of wood betony was in 1747

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