‖ alkekengi Bot.
(ælkɪˈkɛndʒɪ)
Forms: 5 alkenkengy, 6 alkakinge, 6–7 alkakengie, 7 alkakeng(e, alcakengie, 8 alkakengi.
[med.L. alkekengi f. Arab. al-kākanj, al-kākenj, i.e. al the + Pers. kākanj a ‘kind of medicinal resin from a tree growing in the mountains of Herat.’ Freytag. ‘Nightshade,’ Hopkins Pers. Dict. Cf. It. alcachengi, Sp. alquequenje, Fr. alkékenge, which also appears as an earlier Eng. form.]
1. A plant (Physalis Alkekengi Linn.) family Solanaceæ, also called Winter-Cherry from its ornamental scarlet fruit.
| 1440 Promp. Parv., Alkenkengy, herbe morub. Morella rubea. 1551 Turner Herbal ii. 142 Alkakinge..hath the same vertue that gardin nyghtshad hath. 1597 Gerard Herbal ii. lii. 271 The red winter Cherrie is called..in English red Nightshade..and Alkakengie. 1605 Timme Quersit. iii. 181 Take of alkakeng berries, twenty in number. 1676 Bullokar, Alkakangi. 1742 Bailey, Alkakengi, winter cherry, the Fruit of one sort of the Plant Night-shade. 1783 Ainsworth Thesaur., Halicacabus, a red winter cherry, red nightshade, alkakengy. |