sweet cicely

noun

sweet cic·​e·​ly -ˈsi-s(ə-)lē 

: any of a genus (Osmorhiza) of American and eastern Asian herbs of the carrot family that typically have thick fleshy roots and grow in moist woodlands

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web

Lloyd routinely collects elderflower, plantain leaf, nettle, sweet cicely and valerian, but other finds depend on the time of year. —Jennifer Billock, Smithsonian Magazine, 17 Feb. 2022

The section on sweet cicely describes its growing habitats (rural settlements, roadsides, parks) and leaf shape. —Andrea Sachs, Washington Post, 26 July 2019

Word History

Etymology

cicely from Latin seselis, from Greek

First Known Use

1577, in the meaning defined above