speedwell

speed·well

[speed-wel]
noun
any of several plants, shrubs, or small trees of the genus Veronica, of the figwort family, having opposite leaves and small flowers.

Origin:
1570–80; speed + well1; so called because its petals fade and fall early

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World English Dictionary
speedwell (ˈspiːdˌwɛl) [Click for IPA pronunciation guide]
 
n
any of various temperate scrophulariaceous plants of the genus Veronica, such as V. officinalis (heath speedwell) and V. chamaedrys (germander speedwell), having small blue or pinkish white flowers
 
[C16: from speed + well1]

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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00:10
Speedwell is always a great word to know.
So is bezoar. Does it mean:
a calculus or concretion found in the stomach or intestines of certain animals, esp. ruminants, formerly reputed to be an effective remedy for poison.
a children's mummer's parade, as on the Fourth of July, with prizes for the best costumes.
Encyclopedia Britannica
Encyclopedia

speedwell

any plant of the genus Veronica (order Lamiales), especially the small, sometimes weedy, herbaceous types. There are about 450 species, which are found mostly in the Northern Hemisphere. Speedwells are grown as ornamentals. Their small blossoms are usually white, blue, purple, or pink.

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Encyclopedia Britannica, 2008. Encyclopedia Britannica Online.
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