Panicum
/ˈpæn.ɪ.kəm/noun
A genus of grasses that includes millet and related species.
Did you know?The genus name *Panicum* was historically connected by some scholars to *panicus*, a Latin adjective associated with millet, while the fear-word *panic* comes from Greek *panikon*—“of Pan,” the god whose sudden appearances were believed to cause overwhelming fright.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
panikon
“something belonging to Pan, the rustic god associated with sudden fear”
Classical Latin
Latin
panicum
“millet; a grain or grass of the millet type”
Late Latin
Latin
panicum
“millet, especially common millet”
16th Century
Latin
Panicum
“used as a botanical genus name for millet grasses”
Modern English
English
panicum
“the botanical genus name for a group of grasses”