Tanacetum
/təˈnæs.ɪ.təm/noun
A genus of flowering plants in the daisy family, including tansy.
Did you know?The modern botanical name Tanacetum is linked to tansy, a herb once used in medicine and ritual life, and its earlier name may ultimately connect to Greek words for “immortality” or “deathlessness.”
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
athanásia (ἀθανασία)
“immortality; deathlessness”
Late Latin
Latin
tanacētum
“tansy or a tansy-like plant”
Medieval Latin
Latin
tanacetum
“tansy, a pungent medicinal herb”
Middle English
English
tansy
“the tansy plant, used as a bitter herb and medicinal plant”
Modern English
English
Tanacetum
“the botanical genus containing tansy and related species”
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