hellebore

noun

hel·​le·​bore ˈhe-lə-ˌbȯr 

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 (such 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

Examples of hellebore in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Helleborus x hybridus is the Heinz 57 of hellebores with genetics contributed from a handful of eastern European species and are generally sold under the common name of Lenten rose. —Paul Cappiello, The Courier-Journal, 2 Feb. 2024

Follow the steps below to grow hellebores from seed. —Southern Living Editors, Southern Living, 8 Feb. 2024

Burying the crown of a hellebore can interfere with blooming. —Southern Living Editors, Southern Living, 8 Feb. 2024

For winter application, Osofsky suggests homing in on white flowers like hellebores or mock orange, paired with the silver foliage of artemisia and lavender. —Kristin Guy, Sunset Magazine, 21 Dec. 2023

To make her versions, Nicholson encases the roots of hellebores in damp topsoil and wraps the dirt in moss, then in twine, often hanging them from the rafters of her workshop. —Jenny Comita, New York Times, 21 Nov. 2023

Similarly, hellebores blossom in late winter, but The Rockies series was bred to produce flashy foliage throughout the growing season. —Tovah Martin, Washington Post, 20 Sep. 2023

Caterpillars are clearly important, but what about the aphids eating the hellebores on my porch? —Emily Underwood, Smithsonian Magazine, 7 Sep. 2023

This eye-catching one has a mix of faux eucalyptus, hellebores (both opened and closed) as well as hydrangeas. —Alyssa Gautieri, goodhousekeeping.com, 10 May 2023

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

hellebore

noun

hel·​le·​bore ˈhel-ə-ˌbō(ə)r 

-ˌbȯ(ə)r

1

: any of a genus of poisonous herbs related to the buttercups

also : its dried root formerly used in medicine

2

: a poisonous herb related to the lilies

also : its dried root or a product of this containing chemical substances used in medicine and insecticides

Medical Definition

hellebore

noun

hel·​le·​bore ˈhel-ə-ˌbō(ə)r, -ˌbȯ(ə)r 

1

a

: any herb of the genus Helleborus

b

: the dried roots and rhizome of any medicinal herb of the genus Helleborus (as black hellebore H. niger or green hellebore H. viridis) or a powder or extract of this used by the ancient Greeks and Romans in treating mental and other disorders

2

a

: any of several poisonous herbs of the genus Veratrum

b

: the dried rhizome and roots of either of two hellebores of the genus Veratrum (the false hellebore V. viride of America and V. album of Europe) or a powder or extract of this containing alkaloids (as protoveratrine) used as a cardiac and respiratory depressant and also as an insecticide

called also veratrum, white hellebore