dodecatheon
dodecatheon Lexical Profile
• noun
North American A spring-flowering herbaceous plant of the primrose family, native primarily to North America, characterized by nodding flowers with swept-back petals that resemble shooting stars.
"During our spring hike through the Appalachian mountains, we spotted a rare dodecatheon blooming near the creek."
A highly regarded medicinal plant mentioned by classical Roman and Greek writers, supposedly possessing the combined healing powers of the twelve principal deities.
"In his natural history texts, Pliny the Elder described the ancient dodecatheon as a powerful cure-all protected by the pantheon."
Word Origin & Etymology
Derived from Latin 'dodecatheon', from Ancient Greek 'dōdekatheon', naming a medicinal plant believed by the ancients to be under the care of the twelve Olympian gods (from 'dōdeka' meaning 'twelve' and 'theos' meaning 'god'). Carl Linnaeus later applied the name to a genus of North American wildflowers.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.