agathosma

noun

ag·​a·​thos·​ma

ˌa-gə-ˈthäz-mə

1

capitalized : a genus of southern African shrubs (family Rutaceae) having heathlike foliage from which a sulfur-containing oil used in folk medicine is obtained and numerous small flowers in dense heads

2

plural -s : any plant of the genus Agathosma, several of which are cultivated in the cool greenhouse

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from agath- + -osma

First Known Use

1819, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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