Akademik

any of various low-growing tufted plants of the genus Paronychia having tiny greenish flowers and usually whorled leaves; widespread throughout warm regions of both Old and New Worlds; formerly thought to cure whitlows (suppurative infections around a fingernail)

/hwit"loh werrt', -wawrt', wit"-/, n.

any of several small, tufted plants belonging to the genus Paronychia, of the pink family, native to temperate and warm regions, having opposite or whorled leaves and tiny, greenish flowers.

[1640-50; WHITLOW + WORT²]