n. 1. A low-growing plant (Asperugo procumbens) with small blue flowers, native to Eurasia and naturalized in North America. 2. See alyssum. [Sense 1, perhaps alteration (influenced by MADDER) of Dutch mede, madder + WORT1 (from the use of A. procumbens to make a dye ). Sense 2, originally a name for various plants supposed to cure rabies, and later also for plants of the genus Alyssum : MAD, rabid + WORT1 (partial translation of Latin alyssum, from Greek alusson; see ALYSSUM).] |
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