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hore·hound

(hôrhound′)

a. An aromatic plant (Marrubium vulgare) in the mint family having leaves with white pubescence and numerous white flowers in axillary cymes, native to Eurasia. The leaves yield a bitter extract used in flavoring and as a cough remedy.

b. A candy or preparation flavored with this extract.

2. Any of several similar plants in the mint family, especially Ballota nigra.

[Middle English, alteration (influenced by hound, hound) of horhune, from Old English hārehūne : hār, hoary + hūne, a kind of plant.]

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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