medick
(ˈmiːdɪk)
Also 5 medike, 6–7 medicke, 6–9 medic, 8 meddick.
[ad. L. mēdica, ad. Gr. Μηδικὴ (πόα), lit. ‘Median grass’.]
Any plant of the genus Medicago, esp. M. sativa, Purple medick or lucerne. (Also medick fodder, medick trefoil.) black medick or hop medick = nonesuch.
| c 1420 Pallad. on Husb. v. 1 At Auerel medike is forto sowe. 1562 Turner Herbal ii. 52, I haue found no name as yet in England for it [Medica]: but it may be called horned clauer or medic fother. 1616 Surfl. & Markh. Country Farme 147 The flowers of Medicke fodder. 1733 Miller Gard. Dict. (ed. 2), Medica marina..Sea Medick or Snail-Trefoil. 1764 Museum Rust. II. xlvii. 139 The new lucern is a kind of medick trefoil. 1816–20 T. Green Univ. Herbal II. 102 Medicago Falcata, Yellow Medick. Ibid., Medicago Lupulina, Hop or Black Medick. 1839 Penny Cycl. XV. 58/2 Purple medick. 1912 W. Somerville Agric. iii. 69 Species standing wide apart, like beans and medick, have no mutual interest in any particular organism. 1960 Oxf. Bk. Wild Flowers 20/2 Spotted Medick or Calvary Clover... The leaflets are much bigger than those of other Medicks. |