Main Entry: hel·le·bore

Pronunciation: \ˈhe-lə-ˌbȯr\

Function: noun

Etymology: Middle English elebre, from Anglo-French, from Latin elleborus, helleborus, from Greek helleboros

Date: 15th century

1 : any of a genus (Helleborus) of poisonous Eurasian herbs of the buttercup family having showy flowers with petaloid sepals; also : the dried rhizome of a hellebore (as H. niger) formerly used in medicine
2 : a poisonous herb (genus Veratrum) of the lily family; also : the dried rhizome of a hellebore (V. album or V. viride) that is used as an insecticide and contains toxic alkaloids that are cardiac and respiratory depressants