Saxifraga
/sæk.sɪˈfreɪ.ɡə/noun
A genus of flowering plants in the saxifrage family, often growing in rocky habitats.
Did you know?The name comes from Latin *saxum* (“stone”) + *frangere* (“to break”), and medieval herbal tradition treated that kind of naming as a sign of real hidden power.
Etymological Timeline
Classical Latin
Latin
saxifraga
“stone-breaking; a plant thought to grow in rocky places or to “break” stones”
Late Latin
Latin
saxum
“stone, rock”
Late Latin
Latin
frangere
“to break, shatter”
Medieval Latin
Latin
Saxifraga
“a plant name applied to various rock-growing herbs, especially in herbal medicine”
Modern English
English
saxifrage
“any of various plants of the genus Saxifraga, especially rock plants”