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EPHEDRA

 - 4 dictionary results

e⋅phed⋅ra

  [i-fed-ruh, ef-i-druh]
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–noun
any of various plants of the genus Ephedra, growing in dry regions and having branching stems with dry scalelike leaves.
Origin:
< NL (Linnaeus) < Gk ephédra the horsetail plant, lit., sitting (upon a place), equiv. to ep- ep- + hédra seat, sitting (see cathedra )
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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e·phed·ra   (ĭ-fěd'rə, ěf'ĭ-drə)   
n.  

  1. Any of various gymnospermous, mostly shrubby plants of the genus Ephedra, some of which are used as a source of ephedrine.

  2. A stimulant, often sold as pills or tablets, derived from a plant of this genus.


[Latin ephedra, horsetail, from Greek ephedrā, from feminine of ephedros, sitting upon : ep-, epi-, epi- + hedrā, seat; see sed- in Indo-European roots.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

ephedra 
1917, from Mod.L., coined by Linnæus (1737) from Gk. ephedra, lit. "sitting upon," from fem. of ephedros, from epi "on" + hedra "seat, base, chair, face of a geometric solid," from PIE base *sed- "to sit" (see sedentary).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: ephed·ra
Pronunciation: i-'fed-r&, 'ef-&d-r&
Function: noun
1 capitalized : a large genus of jointed nearlyleafless desert shrubs (family Gnetaceae) that have the leaves reduced to scales at the nodes and include some (especially E. sinica) that are a source of ephedrine —see MA HUANG
2 : any plant of the genus Ephedra
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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