n. 1. Any of various chiefly Mediterranean weeds or ornamentals of the genus Alyssum in the mustard family, having racemes of white or yellow flowers. Also called madwort. 2. Any of various similar plants in the mustard family, especially sweet alyssum. [New Latin Alyssum, genus name, from Latin alysson, kind of madder, from Greek alusson, a plant believed to cure rabies : a-, not; see A-1 + lussa, rabies; see wkwo- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.] |
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