foxglove
foxglove Lexical Profile
foxglove Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A tall Eurasian biennial or perennial plant of the genus Digitalis, characterized by an erect spike of tubular, bell-shaped flowers that are typically pink, purple, or white.
"The cottage garden was bordered by tall, vibrant foxgloves that attracted dozens of bumblebees."
The medicinal drug or extract derived from the dried leaves of the Digitalis plant, traditionally used to treat heart failure and irregular heartbeats.
"Historically, physicians prescribed a careful dose of foxglove to strengthen the contractions of a failing heart."
Word Origin & Etymology
From Old English 'foxes glofa' (fox's glove). The name likely refers to the tubular shape of the flowers resembling the fingers of a glove, though the exact folklore connection to foxes (such as the myth that foxes wore them to silence their footsteps) remains speculative.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.