squill (redirected from sea squills)

squill  (skwl)

n.

1. Any of several bulbous Eurasian and African plants of the genus Scilla, having narrow leaves and bell-shaped blue, white, or pink flowers.

2. See sea onion.

3. The dried inner scales of the bulbs of any of these plants, used as rat poison and formerly as a cardiac stimulant, expectorant, and diuretic.

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[Middle English, from Latin scilla, squilla, shrimp, squill, from Greek skilla.]

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squill [skwɪl]

n

1. (Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Plants) See sea squill

2. (Medicine / Pharmacology) the bulb of the sea squill, formerly used medicinally as an expectorant after being sliced and dried

3. (Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Plants) any Old World liliaceous plant of the genus Scilla, such as S. verna (spring squill) of Europe, having small blue or purple flowers

[from Latin squilla sea onion, from Greek skilla, of obscure origin]

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	squill - bulb of the sea squill, which is sliced, dried, and used as an expectorant sea onion, sea squill, Urginea maritima, squill - having dense spikes of small white flowers and yielding a bulb with medicinal properties bulb - a modified bud consisting of a thickened globular underground stem serving as a reproductive structure
	2.	squill - having dense spikes of small white flowers and yielding a bulb with medicinal properties sea onion, sea squill, Urginea maritima liliaceous plant - plant growing from a bulb or corm or rhizome or tuber genus Urginea, Urginea - Mediterranean liliaceous plants; sometimes placed in family Hyacinthaceae squill - bulb of the sea squill, which is sliced, dried, and used as an expectorant
	3.	squill - an Old World plant of the genus Scilla having narrow basal leaves and pink or blue or white racemose flowers scilla liliaceous plant - plant growing from a bulb or corm or rhizome or tuber genus Scilla - sometimes placed in subfamily Hyacinthaceae Scilla verna, spring squill, sea onion - European scilla with small blue or purple flowers