turn·sole (tûrn s l )n. 1. Any of various plants that move or are believed to move in response to the sun. 2. See heliotrope. [Middle English turnesole, purple dye obtained from the plant, from Old French tournesol, from Old Italian tornasole, heliotrope : tornare, to turn (from Latin torn  re; see turn) + sole, sun (from Latin sl; see swel- in Indo-European roots).] |
turnsole [ˈtɜːnˌsəʊl]
n
1. (Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Plants) any of various plants having flowers that are said to turn towards the sun
2. (Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Plants) a euphorbiaceous plant, Croton tinctoria, of the Mediterranean region that yields a purple dye
3. (Clothing, Personal Arts & Crafts / Dyeing) the dye extracted from this plant
[from Old French tournesole, from Old Italian tornasole, from tornare to turn + sole sun, from Latin sōl sun]
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