Lungwort
/ˈlʌŋ.ɡwɜːrt/noun
A flowering plant in the genus Pulmonaria, traditionally used in herbal medicine.
Did you know?Lungwort’s old name reflects the Doctrine of Signatures, the belief that a plant’s appearance was a divine clue to what body part it could heal.
Etymological Timeline
Old English
OE
lungenwyrt
“lung plant; a medicinal herb thought useful for lung ailments”
Middle English
EN
lungworte
“a herb associated with treating the lungs”
16th Century
EN
lungwort
“the plant name becomes standardized in English”
Modern English
EN
lungwort
“a genus of ornamental and medicinal woodland plants”
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