purslane

[ purs-leyn, -lin ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

a low, trailing plant, Portulaca oleracea, having yellow flowers, used as a salad plant and potherb. Compare purslane family.
any other plant of the purslane family.

purslane

/ ˈpɜːslɪn; -leɪn /

noun

a weedy portulacaceous plant, Portulaca oleracea, with small yellow flowers and fleshy leaves, which are used in salads and as a potherb
any of various similar or related plants, such as sea purslane and water purslane

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Word History and Origins

Origin of purslane¹

1350–1400; Middle English purcelan ( e ) < Middle French porcelaine < Late Latin porcillāgin- (stem of porcillāgō ), for Latin porcillāca, variant of portulāca portulaca

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Word History and Origins

Origin of purslane¹

C14 purcelane, from Old French porcelaine, from Late Latin porcillāgō, from Latin porcillāca, variant of portulāca

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Example Sentences

Purslane is one of the kitchen garden plants most widely diffused throughout the old world from the earliest times.

From Project Gutenberg

A very small cuscuta also occurs almost exclusively parasitic on the common purslane.

From Project Gutenberg

In among the sweet peas were many little tufts of purslane, and purslane is very good to eat, as anybody knows who has tried it.

From Project Gutenberg

In Fig. 272, a Purslane-flower, the same parts are adnate to or consolidated with the ovary up to its middle.

From Project Gutenberg

The flora includes purslane, rock roses and several species of ferns and mosses.

From Project Gutenberg

purse-string suture purslane family

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