: a perennial marsh herb (Acorus calamus) of the arum family with long narrow sword-shaped leaves and an aromatic rootstock
called alsocalamus
Word History
First Known Use
1765, in the meaning defined above
Medical Definition
sweet flag
noun
-ˈflag
: a perennial marsh herb (Acorus calamus) of the arum family (Araceae) having long leaves and a pungent rootstock and used especially formerly as a flavoring agent and in folk medicine but now largely abandoned because of demonstrated carcinogenicity and toxicity in laboratory animals see calamus