pellitory
(ˈpɛlɪtərɪ)
Forms: 6 peli-, pely-, pellatory, pellytorie, -ye, pille-, pillitorie, -tore, 6–7 pellitorie, 7 -tarie, 6– pellitory.
[Found first in 16th c.: partly (in sense 1) an alteration of the earlier peletre, peletyr, pelleter1, with changed suffix; partly (in sense 2) an alteration of *peretarie, paretarie, parietary, L. parietāria, It. paretaria, F. pariétaire, paretaire (f. L. parietem wall), by dissimilation of r..r to l..r.
It is not clear whether these two changes of the earlier words were independent of each other, or whether one influenced the other; but the result was that by 1550 or thereabouts both words had become pellitory.]
1. A composite plant, Anacyclus Pyrethrum, the Pyrethrum of the ancients, and peletre, pelleter of Middle English, called distinctively pellitory of Spain, a native of Barbary, the root of which has a very pungent flavour, and is used in medicine as a local irritant and salivant and as a remedy for toothache. Also applied to the root (radix pyrethri) as thus used.
Called by Lyte Bastard Pellitory: see also b.
| 1533 Elyot Cast. Helthe iv. ii. (1541) 84 b, Them that be vexed with toothe ache..Take Pelytory of Spayn one ducat [etc.]. 1570 Levins Manip. 105/22 Pellitorie, pyretrum. 1578 Lyte Dodoens iii. xix. 342, I thinke we may wel cal it bastard Pelitory or Bertram. 1592 Lyly Midas iii. ii, O! what will rid me of this paine? Some Pellitory fetcht from Spaine. 1597 Gerarde Herbal ii. ccl. 619 Pellitorie of Spaine is called in Greeke πύρεθρον..in Spanish Pelitre..in high and lowe Dutch Bertram. 1611 Cotgr., Piretre, Hearbe Bartram, bastard Pellitorie, right Pellitorie of Spaine. 1705 Tate tr. Cowley's Bks. Plants iv, The Pellitory healing Fire contains, That from a raging Tooth the Humour drains. 1773 Gentl. Mag. XLIII. 439 The root of pellitory of Spain..should be held in the mouth often. 1876 Harley Mat. Med. (ed. 6) 535 Pellitory is a native of the north of Africa, whence it has been introduced into the south of Europe. |
† b. Applied, usually with qualifying words, to other plants in some way resembling this: esp. (a) Masterwort, Peucedanum (Imperatoria) Ostruthium, an umbelliferous plant with a pungent root (also great or false pellitory of Spain); (b) Sneezewort, Achillea Ptarmica (also wild pellitory or bastard pellitory). Obs.
| 1578 Lyte Dodoens ii. xix. 299 Of great Pellitorie of Spayne, Imperatoria, or Masterwort. Ibid. iii. xx. 342 Of wilde Pelitory..the whole herbe is sharpe and biting, almost in tast like Pellitory of Spayne, and for y{supt} cause men cal it also wild Pellitory. 1597 Gerarde Herbal ii. clxxviii. 484 Ptarmica. Sneesewoort... The whole plant is sharpe, biting the toong and mouth like Pellitorie of Spaine, for which cause some haue called it wilde Pellitorie. Ibid. ccclxxii. 848 Imperatoria. Masterwoorts, or False Pellitory of Spaine. 1607 Topsell Four-f. Beasts (1658) 103 If there be put unto it wilde Pellitory, it will also distract and dissipate them [serpents] again. 1738 G. C. Deering Cat. Stirp. 179 Ptarmica..Sneezewort. Bastard-pellitory. 1760 J. Lee Introd. Bot. App. 312 Pellitory of Spain, False, Chrysanthemum. |
2. A low bushy plant (Parietaria officinalis, family Urticaceæ) with small ovate leaves and greenish flowers, growing upon or at the foot of walls. Commonly distinguished as pellitory of the wall. Also extended to the whole genus Parietaria. (See also parietary n.)
| 1548 Turner Names of Herbes 41 Helxine or pardition is called in englishe Parietorie or Pelletorie of the wal..in frenche Du parietaire. 1562 ― Herbal ii. 13 Parietorie or Pilletorie of y⊇ wall. 1580 Hollyband Treas. Fr. Tong, De l'Apparitoire,..an herbe called Parietory, commonly Pellitorie. 1610 B. Jonson Alch. iii. iv, A good old woman..did cure me With sodden ale, and pellitorie o' the wall. 1747 Wesley Prim. Physic (1762) 57 A Pint of juice of Pellitory of the Wall bruised in a Marble Mortar. 1821 Clare Vill. Minstr. I. 210 Where the mouldering walls are seen Hung with pellitory green. 1884 Miller Plant-n., Pellitory, American, Parietaria pennsylvanica... New Zealand, Parietaria debilis. |
3. attrib. and Comb.
| 1713 Petiver in Phil. Trans. XXVIII. 187 These Leaves are green, and in their Segments resemble the Pyrethrum Canariense or Pellitory Dasie. 1760 J. Lee Introd. Bot. App. 322 Pellitory-tree, Zanthoxylum. 1797 Downing Disorders Horned Cattle 57 Give the beast a quart of pellitory tea two or three times a day. 1861 Hulme tr. Moquin-Tandon ii. v. ii, As if they had been chewing pellitory root. |