dittany

English

Etymology

From Old French ditan (French dictame), from Latin dictamnum, from Ancient Greek δίκταμνον (díktamnon), reportedly from Δίκτη (Díktē, “Dicte”), a mountain in Crete on whose slopes the plant grew.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈdɪtəni/

Noun

dittany (countable and uncountable, plural dittanies)

  1. A labiate plant of species Origanum dictamnus, formerly renowned for its medicinal properties; dittany of Crete.
  2. A fragrant plant in the rue family, Dictamnus albus.
    Synonym: fraxinella, gas plant, burning bush
  3. False dittany (Pseudodictamnus mediterraneus, syn. Ballota pseudodictamnus)
  4. (US) A fragrant herb in the mint family native to the eastern United States (Cunila origanoides).
    Synonym: common dittany, stone mint, frost mint, American dittany

Translations

Further reading

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