SINCE 1828

An Encyclopædia Britannica Company

sweet flag

noun

Definition of sweet flag

: a perennial marsh herb (Acorus calamus) of the arum family with long narrow sword-shaped leaves and an aromatic rootstock — called also calamus

First Known Use of sweet flag

1765

Medical Dictionary

sweet flag

noun \ -ˈflag \

medical Definition of sweet flag

: a perennial marsh herb (Acorus calamus) of the arum family (Araceae) having long leaves and a pungent rootstock and used especially formerly as a flavoring agent and in folk medicine but now largely abandoned because of demonstrated carcinogenicity and toxicity in laboratory animals — see calamus

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