py·re·thrum (p -r thr m, -r th r m)n.1. Any of several Old World plants of the genus Chrysanthemum, such as C. coccineum, cultivated for their showy flower heads. 2. An insecticide made from the dried flower heads of Chrysanthemum cinerariifolium or C. coccineum.
[Latin, pellitory, from Greek purethron, feverfew, from p r, fire (from its warming effect); see pyretic.] |
pyrethrum [pie-reeth-rum] Noun
1. a Eurasian chrysanthemum with white, pink, red, or purple flowers
2. an insecticide prepared from dried pyrethrum flowers [Greek purethron]
ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
| Noun | 1. | pyrethrum - made of dried flower heads of pyrethrum plants |
| 2. | pyrethrum - white-flowered pyrethrum of Balkan area whose pinnate leaves are white and silky-hairy below; source of an insecticide; sometimes placed in genus Chrysanthemumgenus Tanacetum, Tanacetum - a large genus of plants resembling chrysanthemums; comprises some plants often included in other genera especially genus Chrysanthemum herb, herbaceous plant - a plant lacking a permanent woody stem; many are flowering garden plants or potherbs; some having medicinal properties; some are pests |
| 3. | pyrethrum - spring-flowering garden perennial of Asiatic origin having finely divided aromatic leaves and white to pink-purple flowers; source of an insecticide; sometimes placed in genus Chrysanthemumflower - a plant cultivated for its blooms or blossoms genus Tanacetum, Tanacetum - a large genus of plants resembling chrysanthemums; comprises some plants often included in other genera especially genus Chrysanthemum |
| 4. | Pyrethrum - used in former classifications for plants later placed in genus Chrysanthemum and now often included in genus Tanacetumasterid dicot genus - genus of more or less advanced dicotyledonous herbs and some trees and shrubs |