baldmoney Herb.
(ˈbɔːldmʌnɪ)
Forms: 4 baldemoin, 5 -moyn, 6 baldmoyne, 7 baldimonie, -emony, baudmoney, 8 baldmonie, 6– baldmoney.
[Etymol. unknown; the early forms point to a Fr. *baudemoin(e; with the termination cf. agrimony, F. aigremoine; but this hardly answers to L. valde bona, a plant mentioned in the Great Herbal: see Prior Names of Plants. The modern explanation Balder's money is a baseless conjecture.]
† 1. Gentian, of various species. Obs.
| 1393 Gower Conf. I. 99 Loke, how a seke man for his hele Taketh baldemoin with canele. c 1440 Promp. Parv. 22/1 Baldemoyn (v.r. baldmony, baldemonye), Genciana. 1597 Gerard Herbal ii. c. §4 (1633) 352 Gentian is named in English Felwoort Gentian; Bitterwoort; Baldmoyne, and Baldmoney. 1863 C. M. Yonge Chr. Names II. ii. 209. |
2. An umbelliferous plant (Meum athamanticum), with yellowish flowers, the root of which is eaten in the Scottish Highlands as a carminative.
| 1598 Florio, Meo..the herbe spignell, mew, beare-woort or baldmoney. 1690 Ray Synop. Stirp., Spignel or Mew. In Westmorland..it is known to all the Country People by the name of Bald-Money, or (as they pronounce it) Bawd-Money. 1861 Miss Pratt Flower. Pl. III. 49 Mew or Bald⁓money..is pleasantly and powerfully aromatic. |