| 释义 |
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2024gen•tian ( jen′shən),USA pronunciation n. - Plant Biologyany of several plants of the genera Gentiana, Gentianella, and Gentianopsis, having usually blue, or sometimes yellow, white, or red, flowers, as the fringed gentian of North America, or Gentiana lutea, of Europe. Cf. gentian family.
- Plant Biologyany of various plants resembling the gentian.
- Plant Biologythe root of G. lutea, or a preparation of it, used as a tonic.
- Latin gentiāna; said to be named after Gentius, an Illyrian king
- Middle English gencian 1350–1400
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers:: gentian /ˈdʒɛnʃən/ n - any gentianaceous plant of the genera Gentiana or Gentianella, having blue, yellow, white, or red showy flowers
- the bitter-tasting dried rhizome and roots of Gentiana lutea (European or yellow gentian), which can be used as a tonic
Etymology: 14th Century: from Latin gentiāna; perhaps named after Gentius, a second-century bc Illyrian king, reputedly the first to use it medicinally |