an aromatic Cretan plant, Origanum dictamnus, with pink drooping flowers: formerly credited with great medicinal properties: family Lamiaceae (labiates)
2. Also called: stone mint
a North American labiate plant, Cunila origanoides, with clusters of purplish flowers
3. another name for gas plant
Word origin
C14: from Old French ditan, from Latin dictamnus, from Greek diktamnon, perhaps from Diktē, mountain in Crete
dittany in American English
(ˈdɪtəni)
nounWord forms: pluralˈdittanies
1.
a creeping, woolly herb (Origanum dictamnus) of the mint family, native to Crete
2.
gas plant
3. US
a small perennial herb (Cunila origanoides) of the mint family, found in E U.S.
Word origin
ME ditane < OFr ditan < L dictamnum < Gr diktamnon, ? after Diktē, Mount Dicte, in Crete, where it grew