noun
a genus of slender herbs belonging to the family Euphorbiaceae
• Syn: ↑genus Mercurialis
• Hypernyms: ↑rosid dicot genus
• Member Holonyms: ↑Euphorbiaceae, ↑family Euphorbiaceae, ↑spurge family
• Member Meronyms:
↑herb mercury, ↑herbs mercury, ↑boys-and-girls, ↑Mercurialis annua, ↑dog's mercury, ↑dog mercury, ↑Mercurialis perennis
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\(ˌ)mərˌkyu̇rēˈalə̇s, -āl-, -äl-\ noun1. capitalized : a small genus of slender herbs (family Euphorbiaceae) having opposite pinnately-veined leaves and apetalous flowers in interrupted axillary spikes — see boys-and-girls 2, dog's mercury
2. -es : an herb (Mercurialis annua) formerly dried for use as a purgative, diuretic, and antisyphilitic
Useful english dictionary. 2012.