plantain

Definition

Any plant of the genus Plantago, with a rosette of sessile leaves about 10 cm (4") long with a narrow part instead of a petiole, and with a spike inflorescence with the flower spacing varying widely among the species. See also psyllium.

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English planteyne, planteyn, from Anglo-Norman plainteine et al., Old French plaintain, from Latin plantāgō, from planta (“sole of the foot”), a nasalized form of Proto-Indo-European *pleth₂- (“flat; to spread”), because of the broad, flat shape of the plantain leaves.

Example Sentences

• "The roots of Plantain and Pellitory of Spain beaten to powder and put into hollow teeth, takes away the pains of them."
• "The paths too are overgrown, but easily identified by the presence on them of round-leaved plantains."