centaury

cen·tau·ry  (sntôr)

n. pl. cen·tau·ries

Any of several herbs of the genus Centaurium, especially a Eurasian species (C. erythraea) that has clusters of pink flowers and has long been used in herbal medicine.

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[Middle English, from Old English centaurie, from Latin centaurum, from Greek kentaureion, from Kentauros, centaur (from the legend that the plant's medicinal properties were discovered by the centaur Chiron).]

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centaury [ˈsɛntɔːrɪ]

n pl -ries

1. (Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Plants) any Eurasian plant of the genus Centaurium, esp C. erythraea, having purplish-pink flowers and formerly believed to have medicinal properties: family Gentianaceae

2. (Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Plants) any plant of the genus Centaurea, which includes the cornflower and knapweed: family Compositae (composites)

[ultimately from Greek Kentauros the Centaur; from the legend that Chiron the Centaur divulged its healing properties]

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	centaury - any of various plants of the genus Centaurium flower - a plant cultivated for its blooms or blossoms Centaurium, genus Centaurium - genus of low-growing herbs mostly of northern hemisphere having flowers with protruding spirally twisted anthers Centaurium calycosum, rosita - erect plant with small clusters of pink trumpet-shaped flowers of southwestern United States Centaurium minus, lesser centaury - common European glabrous annual centaury with flowers in dense cymes Centaurium scilloides, tufted centaury - tufted perennial of western Europe and Azores having bright pink to white flowers seaside centaury - a variety of centaury found at the seaside broad leaved centaury - a variety of centaury with broad leaves slender centaury - a slender variety of centaury
	2.	centaury - any plant of the genus Centaurea Centaurea, genus Centaurea - knapweed; star thistle basket flower, Centaurea americana - annual of southwestern United States cultivated for its purple flower heads and its bracts that resemble small baskets Centaurea cineraria, Centaurea gymnocarpa, dusty miller - a plant having leaves and stems covered with down that resembles dust Centauria calcitrapa, star-thistle, caltrop - Mediterranean annual or biennial herb having pinkish to purple flowers surrounded by spine-tipped scales; naturalized in America knapweed - any of various plants of the genus Centaurea having purple thistlelike flowers subshrub, suffrutex - low-growing woody shrub or perennial with woody base