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Webster 1913 Edition


Pellitory

Pel′li-to-ry

,
Noun.
[OE.
paritorie
, OF.
paritoire
, F.
pariétaire
; (cf. It. & Sp.
parietaria
), L.
parietaria
the parietary, or pellitory, the wall plant, fr.
parietarius
belonging to the walls, fr.
paries
,
parietis
a wall. Cf.
Parietary
.]
(Bot.)
The common name of the several species of the genus
Parietaria
, low, harmless weeds of the Nettle family; – also called
wall pellitory
, and
lichwort
.
Parietaria officinalis
is common on old walls in Europe;
Parietaria pennsylvanica
is found in the
United States
; and six or seven more species are found near the
Mediterranean
, or in the
Orient
.

Pel′li-to-ry

,
Noun.
[Sp.
pelitre
, fr. L.
pyrethrum
. See
Bertram
.]
(Bot.)
(a)
A composite plant (
Anacyclus Pyrethrum
) of the Mediterranean region, having finely divided leaves and whitish flowers. The root is the officinal pellitory, and is used as an irritant and sialogogue. Called also
bertram
, and
pellitory of Spain
.
(b)
The feverfew (
Chrysanthemum Parthenium
); – so called because it resembles the above.

Webster 1828 Edition


Pellitory

PEL'LITORY

,
Noun.
[L. parietaria, the wall plant, from paries.]
The name of several plants of different genera. The pellitory of the wall or common pellitory is of the genus Parietaria; the bastard pellitory of the genus Achillea; and the pellitory of Spain is the Anthemis pyrethrum.

Definition 2024


pellitory

pellitory

English

Noun

pellitory (plural pellitories)

  1. Pellitory of the wall (Parietaria officinalis). [from 15th c.]
    • 1653, Nicholas Culpeper, The English Physician Enlarged, Folio Society 2007, p. 215:
      The dried herb Pellitory made up into an electuary with honey, or the juice of the herb, or the decoction thereof made up with sugar or honey, is a singular remedy for any old or dry cough, the shortness of breath, and wheezing in the throat.
  2. Any plant of the genus Parietaria.
    1. Parietaria debilis
    2. Parietaria judaica (spreading pellitory)
  3. Achillea ptarmica (European pellitory, bastard pellitory, wild pellitory, sneezewort.
  4. Tanacetum cinerariifolium (formerly Chrysanthemum cinerariifolium) (feverfew, Dalmatian pellitory)

Etymology 2

Probably an alteration of pelleter, with change of ending after Etymology 1, above.

Noun

pellitory (plural pellitories)

  1. Pellitory of Spain (Anacyclus pyrethrum), a plant containing an oil once used for toothaches and facial neuralgia. [from 16th c.]
    • 1653, Nicholas Culpeper, The English Physician Enlarged, Folio Society 2007, p. 213:
      Common Pellitory is a very common plant, and will not be kept in our gardens without diligent looking to.