stavesacre

[ steyvz-ey-ker ]

noun

1. a larkspur, Delphinium staphisagria, of Europe and Asia Minor, having violently emetic and cathartic poisonous seeds.
2. the seeds themselves.

stavesacre

/ ˈsteɪvzˌeɪkə /

noun

1. a Eurasian ranunculaceous plant, Delphinium staphisagria , having purple flowers and poisonous seeds
2. the seeds of this plant, which have strong emetic and cathartic properties

Word History and Origins

Origin of stavesacre¹

1350–1400; Middle English staphisagre < Latin staphis agria < Greek staphìs agría literally, wild raisin

Word History and Origins

Origin of stavesacre¹

C14 staphisagre , from Latin staphis agria , from Greek, from staphis raisin + agria wild

Example Sentences

Stavesacre, stāvz′ā-kėr, n. a tall larkspur whose seeds yield delphinin for destroying lice.

From Project Gutenberg

Delphinium, del-fin′i-um, n. a genus of Ranunculace� comprising the larkspurs and stavesacre.

From Project Gutenberg

L. D.— Stavesacre was employed by the ancients as a cathartic, but it operates with so much violence both upwards and downwards, that its internal use has been, among the generality of practitioners, for some time laid aside.

From Project Gutenberg