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psyl·li·um

(sĭlē-əm)

1. Any of several annual Eurasian plants of the genus Plantago, especially P. ovata or P. afra, having opposite leaves and small flowers borne in dense spikes.

2. The seed husks of any of these plants, widely used as a mild bulk laxative and sometimes added to foods as a dietary source of soluble fiber.

[New Latin, from Greek psullion, from Greek psulla, flea (from the flealike appearance of the seeds ).]

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psyllium

psyllium seeds

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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:

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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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