Adjacent Words

Astragalus definitions

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WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: large genus of annual or perennial herbs or shrubs of north temperate regions; largest genus in the family Leguminosae [syn: Astragalus, genus Astragalus]
2: the bone in the ankle that articulates with the leg bones to form the ankle joint [syn: anklebone, astragal, astragalus, talus]

Merriam Webster's

noun Etymology: New Latin, from Latin, from Greek astragalos neck vertebra, ankle joint, milk vetch (from the vertebra-like appearance of the flower clusters) Date: 1541 1. plural astragali talus II,1 2. the dried root of an Asian milk vetch (Astragalus membranaceus) used especially as a remedy in Chinese herbal medicine; also a preparation or extract of this root

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. (pl. -li) 1 Anat. = TALUS(1). 2 Bot. a leguminous plant of the genus Astragalus, e.g. the milk-vetch. Etymology: L f. Gk astragalos ankle-bone, moulding, a plant

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Astragalus As*trag"a*lus, n. [L. See Astragal.] 1. (Anat.) The ankle bone, or hock bone; the bone of the tarsus which articulates with the tibia at the ankle. 2. (Bot.) A genus of papilionaceous plants, of the tribe Galege[ae], containing numerous species, two of which are called, in English, milk vetch and licorice vetch. Gum tragacanth is obtained from different oriental species, particularly the A. gummifer and A. verus. 3. (Arch.) See Astragal, 1.