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squill

 - 4 dictionary results

squill

  [skwil] ,
Use squill in a Sentence
–noun
1. the bulb of the sea onion, Urginea maritima, of the lily family, cut into thin slices and dried, and used in medicine chiefly as an expectorant.
2. the plant itself.
3. any related plant of the genus Scilla.
Origin:
1350–1400; ME < L squilla, var. of scilla < Gk skílla

Related forms:
squill-like, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To squill
sea onion  
n.  

  1. A Mediterranean plant (Urginea maritima) of the lily family, cultivated for its bulb that yields a powder used medicinally and as a rat poison. Also called red squill, squill.

  2. A small bulbous European plant (Scilla verna) having fragrant blue flowers.

squill   (skwĭl)   
n.  

  1. Any of several bulbous Eurasian and African plants of the genus Scilla, having narrow leaves and bell-shaped blue, white, or pink flowers.

  2. See sea onion.

  3. The dried inner scales of the bulbs of any of these plants, used as rat poison and formerly as a cardiac stimulant, expectorant, and diuretic.


[Middle English, from Latin scilla, squilla, shrimp, squill, from Greek skilla.]
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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Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: squill
Pronunciation: 'skwil
Function: noun
1 a : a Mediterranean bulbous herb of the genus Urginea (U. maritima) of thelily family called also sea onion b : any of several other plants of the genus Urginea c : the bulbs of a squill (especially U. maritima)
2 a : the dried sliced bulb of the white-bulbed form of the squill (Urginea maritima) of the Mediterranean region or the dried sliced bulb of a related Asian plant (U.indica) that contains one or more physically active cardiac glycosides and was formerly used as an expectorant, cardiac stimulant, and diuretic —see URGINEA 2a; —compare WHITE SQUILL b : RED SQUILL 2
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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