butterbur

[ buht-er-bur ]

noun

1. any of several composite plants of the genus Petasites, having large, woolly leaves said to have been used to wrap butter.

butterbur

/ ˈbʌtəˌbɜː /

noun

1. a plant of the Eurasian genus Petasites with fragrant whitish or purple flowers, woolly stems, and leaves formerly used to wrap butter: family Asteraceae (composites)

Word History and Origins

Origin of butterbur¹

First recorded in 1540–50; butter + bur ¹

Example Sentences

I tried an herbal remedy, a capsule that contained feverfew, butterbur and something else.

From Seattle Times

Migraine sufferers should take caution when using herbal treatments such as butterbur and feverfew due to potential side effects and interactions with some medications.

From Washington Post

The only blooms were a few early meadowsweet and a patch of pink butterbur.

From Literature

The butterbur colony required a backhoe to extract, and its runners and roots, once piled on the back of a truck, were so thick they looked like “great big hoses,” Ellen Spencer said.

From Washington Post

There are many herbs that have anti-inflammatory properties that help to decrease the frequency of asthma attacks, such as gingko biloba, licorice root, butterbur, khella and stinging nettles.

From US News