contrayerva

noun

con·​tra·​yer·​va

ˌkän‧trəˈyərvə,

ˌkōn‧-,

-yer-

variants or contrahierba

-trəˈyerbə,

-yervə

plural -s

: a tropical American herb (Dorstenia contrayerva) the aromatic root of which was formerly used as a stimulant, tonic, and diaphoretic

also : any West Indian species of Aristolochia similarly used

Word History

Etymology

Spanish contrayerba, contrahierba, from contra- + yerba, hierba herb, grass, poison, from Latin herba herb; from the belief that it was a poison antidote

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