Tansy
/ˈtæn.zi/noun
A bitter aromatic herb of the daisy family, once used in medicine, cooking, and as a folk remedy.
Did you know?Tansy’s name likely traveled through medieval Latin and French from Greek words for its long-lasting, flower-like form, and the plant itself was famously used in old herb lore for protection, purification, and menstrual medicine.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
athanasia
“immortality, deathlessness”
Late Latin
Latin
tanacētum
“tansy plant”
Old French
French
tansie
“tansy”
Middle English
English
tansy
“the tansy herb”
Modern English
English
tansy
“the aromatic herb Tanacetum vulgare”