n. 1. A delphinium (Delphinium staphisagria) of southern Europe, having purple or blue flowers. 2. The poisonous seeds of this plant, formerly used medicinally especially to kill external parasites such as lice. [By folk etymology (influenced by stave acre) from Middle English staphisagre, from Latin staphis agria, from Greek staphis agriā (literally, "wild raisin," from the raisinlike appearance of the seeds ) : staphis, raisin, stavesacre (from variant of earlier astaphis, raisin; perhaps akin to staphulē, bunch of grapes; see STAPHYLO-) + agriā, feminine of agrios, wild; see agro- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.] |
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