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ash·wa·gan·dha

(ăsh′wə-gändə, äsh′-)

A perennial shrub of the nightshade family (Withania somnifera) of South Asia, the Middle East, and northern Africa, having oval-shaped leaves and bearing small red berries. It is used in herbal medicine as an anti-inflammatory or as a tonic to lower stress and boost the immune system.

[Sanskrit aśvagandhā (literally, “having the smell of a horse,” from the strong smell of the roots) : aśvaḥ, horse; see ekwo- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots + gandhaḥ, smell, odor; see g^when- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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