Saxifrage
/ˈsæk.sɪ.freɪdʒ/noun
A plant of the genus Saxifraga, typically growing in rocky places.
Did you know?Saxifrage comes from Latin *saxum* (“rock”) + *frangere* (“to break”), and the name reflects the old belief that it could crack stones or cure kidney stones, a classic case of medicine sounding like sorcery.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*sek-
“to cut”
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*bʰerǵʰ-
“to break”
Latin
Latin
saxum
“rock, boulder”
Latin
Latin
frangere
“to break, shatter”
Late Latin
Latin
saxifraga
“rock-breaking plant; also a stone-breaking herb”
Middle English
English
saxifrage
“a plant believed to break up stones or kidney stones”