female-bane
rare
noun
A poisonous plant mentioned by ancient authors, perhaps a kind of aconite.
- The plant has sometimes been identified with yellow monkshood, Aconitum anthora, or leopard's bane, Doronicum pardalianches..
Origin
Early 17th century; earliest use found in Philemon Holland (1552–1637), translator. After classical Latin thēlyphonon or its etymon Hellenistic Greek θηλυϕόνον, the name of a poisonous plant, lit. ‘a thing deadly to females’.