Adjacent Words

Anise definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

AN'ISE, n. an'nis. [L. anisum; Gr.]
An annual plant, placed by Linne under the genus Pimpinella. It grows naturally in Egypt, and is cultivated in Spain and Malta, whence the seeds are imported. The stalk rises a foot and a half high, dividing into slender branches, garnished with narrow leaves, cut into three or four narrow segments. The branches terminate in large loose umbels, composed of smaller umbels or rays, on long footstalks. The flowers are small and of a yellowish white; the seeds oblong and swelling. Anise seeds have an aromatic smell, and a pleasant warm taste; they are useful in warming the stomach and expelling wind.
AN'ISE SEED, n. The seed of anise.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: native to Egypt but cultivated widely for its aromatic seeds and the oil from them used medicinally and as a flavoring in cookery [syn: anise, anise plant, Pimpinella anisum]
2: liquorice-flavored seeds, used medicinally and in cooking and liquors [syn: anise, aniseed, anise seed]

Merriam Webster's

noun Etymology: Middle English anis, from Anglo-French, from Latin anisum, from Greek ann?son, anison Date: 14th century a Eurasian annual herb (Pimpinella anisum) of the carrot family having carminative and aromatic seeds; also aniseed

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. an umbelliferous plant, Pimpinella anisum, having aromatic seeds (see ANISEED). Etymology: ME f. OF anis f. L f. Gk anison anise, dill

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Anise An"ise ([a^]n"[i^]s), n. [OE. anys, F. anis, L. anisum, anethum, fr. Gr. 'a`nison, 'a`nhqon.] 1. (Bot.) An umbelliferous plant (Pimpinella anisum) growing naturally in Egypt, and cultivated in Spain, Malta, etc., for its carminative and aromatic seeds. 2. The fruit or seeds of this plant.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

Anise is a plant with seeds that have a strong smell and taste. It is often made into an alcoholic drink.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

This word is found only in Matt. 23:23. It is the plant commonly known by the name of dill, the Peucedanum graveolens of the botanist. This name dill is derived from a Norse word which means to soothe, the plant having the carminative property of allaying pain. The common dill, the Anethum graveolens, is an annual growing wild in the cornfields of Spain and Portugal and the south of Europe generally. There is also a species of dill cultivated in Eastern countries known by the name of shubit. It was this species of garden plant of which the Pharisees were in the habit of paying tithes. The Talmud requires that the seeds, leaves, and stem of dill shall pay tithes. It is an umbelliferous plant, very like the caraway, its leaves, which are aromatic, being used in soups and pickles. The proper anise is the Pimpinella anisum.