goldthread

[ gohld-thred ]

noun

1. a white-flowered plant, Coptis trifolia, of the buttercup family, having a slender, yellow root that is sometimes used as a tonic.

goldthread

/ ˈɡəʊldˌθrɛd /

noun

1. a North American woodland ranunculaceous plant, Coptis trifolia (or C. groenlandica ), with slender yellow roots
2. the root of this plant, which yields a medicinal tonic and a dye

Word History and Origins

Origin of goldthread¹

An Americanism dating back to 1770–80; gold + thread

Example Sentences

What could be more unassuming than goldthread and wood-sorrel?

From Project Gutenberg

Goldthread was official in the United States Pharmacopoeia from 1820 to 1880.

From Project Gutenberg

It is also applied to the stalk or petiole of a carpel, in the rare cases when there is any, as in Goldthread.

From Project Gutenberg

Story-'n'-a-half house, a good sullar, an' woods nigh-by full o' sarsaparilla an' goldthread!

From Project Gutenberg

I'm goin' into the pines arter some goldthread an' sarsaparil'.

From Project Gutenberg