hound's-tongue

American  

[houndz-tuhng] / ˈhaʊndzˌtʌŋ /

noun

1. any of various plants belonging to the genus Cynoglossum, of the borage family, especially C. officinale, having coarse, tongue-shaped leaves, dull purple flowers, and prickly nutlets.

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hound's-tongue British  

noun

1. Also called: dog's-tongue.  any boraginaceous weedy plant of the genus Cynoglossum, esp the Eurasian C. officinale, which has small reddish-purple flowers and spiny fruits

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Etymology

Origin of hound's-tongue

before 1000; Middle English; Old English hundestunge, translation of Latin cynoglōssos < Greek kynóglōssos, kynóglōsson (adj.) literally, dog-tongued