belladonna
|bel-la-don-na|
🇺🇸
/ˌbɛləˈdɑːnə/
🇬🇧
/ˌbɛləˈdɒnə/
poisonous nightshade plant
Etymology
'belladonna' originates from Italian, specifically the words 'bella' meaning 'beautiful' and 'donna' meaning 'lady', referring to the historical cosmetic use of the plant.
'belladonna' was borrowed directly from Italian into English in the 16th century, and has retained its form and meaning since then.
Initially, it referred to the plant used by women to dilate their pupils for cosmetic purposes, but now it mainly refers to the plant itself and its medicinal uses.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a poisonous plant (Atropa belladonna), also known as deadly nightshade, with purple flowers and black berries, historically used in medicine and cosmetics.
Belladonna is known for its toxic berries.
Synonyms
Noun 2
a drug or extract made from the belladonna plant, used in medicine to relieve pain or as a muscle relaxant.
The doctor prescribed belladonna for the patient's muscle spasms.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/07/27 12:43