‖ digitalis
(dɪdʒɪˈteɪlɪs)
[mod.L., from L. digitālis of or pertaining to the fingers; the plant was so named by Fuchs 1542, in allusion to the German name Fingerhut, i.e. thimble.]
1. Bot. A genus of plants of the family Scrophulariaceæ, including the foxglove (D. purpurea).
| [1568 Turner Herbal iii. 16 It is named of some in Latine, Digitalis.] 1664 Evelyn Kal. Hort. (1729) 200 Sow divers Annuals.. as double Marigold, Digitalis, Delphinium. 1791 E. Darwin Bot. Gard. (1799) II. 108 Assumes bright Digitalis' dress and air. |
| attrib. 1883 Syd. Soc. Lex. s.v. Digitalis tinctura, Five parts of pounded digitalis leaves. |
2. A medicine prepared from the foxglove.
| 1799 Med. Jrnl. I. 57 A frequent cause of the failure of digitalis may be attributed to the careless mode of preparing it for use. 1800 Ibid. IV. 532 He has taken the tincture of Digitalis. 1837 Penny Cycl. VIII. 496 Digitalis has the power of reducing in a remarkable degree the heart's action. |