plantago
|plan-ta-go|
🇺🇸
/plænˈteɪɡoʊ/
🇬🇧
/plænˈteɪɡəʊ/
flat-leaved plant (genus Plantago)
Etymology
'plantago' originates from Late Latin, specifically the word 'plantāgo', where 'planta' meant 'sole of the foot'.
'plantago' changed from Late Latin 'plantāgo' into Old French 'plantain' and Middle English 'plantain'; in modern usage the classical form 'Plantago' is used as the botanical genus name.
Initially it referred (via 'planta') to the 'sole of the foot' (reflecting the flat shape), but over time it came to denote the plant characterized by flat leaves — the modern botanical meaning.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a genus of herbaceous plants in the family Plantaginaceae, including species such as Plantago major and Plantago lanceolata.
Botanists recorded several plantago species in the meadow during the survey.
Synonyms
Noun 2
a common name for certain plants of the genus Plantago (often called plantains), especially those with flat, oval leaves used traditionally for medicinal or folk remedies.
She applied crushed plantago leaves to the cut to reduce inflammation.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/08/21 11:24