Tansey

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. An aromatic perennial herb with clusters of yellow button-like flowers and strongly scented, fern-like leaves, often grown in gardens
2. A strong-smelling wild or cultivated plant bearing small golden flower heads, traditionally used as a bitter herb and insect repellent
3. Common tansy, a hardy plant of the daisy family whose pungent leaves and bright yellow blossoms have long been valued in folk medicine

Etymology: Tansy, the bitter yellow-flowered herb, comes from Old French "tanesie," which in turn descends from medieval Latin "athanasia," meaning "immortality," a name borrowed from Greek "athanasia," literally "deathlessness." The plant was prized for its long-lasting flowers, which seemed to resist decay, and that undying quality gave it its name. Its spelling drifted over the centuries, and English settled on "tansy" in the late Middle Ages. Medieval herbalists used tansy for purposes that seem odd now, including repelling insects and worms, and it was a traditional ingredient in Easter cakes and puddings. The herb's bitterness and strong scent made it useful to people who believed it could keep the body free of disease.

Synonyms: tansy