Colchicum Definition

kŏlchĭ-kəm, kŏlkĭ-
noun
Any of a genus (Colchicum) of plants of the lily family, with crocuslike flowers usually blooming in the fall; autumn crocus.
Webster's New World
Its dried seeds or corm.
Webster's New World
Synonyms:
  • genus Colchicum
pronoun

A taxonomic genus within the family Liliaceae — the autumn crocus and similar plants, native to west Asia, Europe and parts of Africa.

Wiktionary

Other Word Forms of Colchicum

Noun

Singular:
colchicum
Plural:
colchicums

Origin of Colchicum

  • Latin a plant with a poisonous root from Greek kolkhikon meadow saffron after Kolkhos , Colchis

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

Colchicum Sentence Examples

  • In the 6th century Alexander of Tralles used colchicum for gout, iron for anaemia, and rhubarb in liver weakness and dysentery.

  • Colchicum was known to the Greeks under the name of KoXXucov, from KoXXIs, or Colchis, a country in which the plant grew; and it is described by Dioscorides as a poison.

  • As a specific for gout colchicum was early employed by the Arabs; and the preparation known as eau medicinale, much resorted to in the 18th century for the cure of gout, owes its therapeutic virtues to colchicum; but general attention was first directed by Sir Everard Home to the use of the drug in gout.

  • The chief constituents of colchicum are two alkaloids, colchicine and veratrine.

  • The official dose of powdered colchicum is 2 to 5 grains, which may be given in a cachet.

More Sentences

Find Similar Words

Find similar words to colchicum using the buttons below.

Words Starting With

CCOCOL

Words Ending With

MUMCUM

Unscrambles

colchicum

Words Starting With C and Ending With M

Starts With C & Ends With MStarts With CO & Ends With MStarts With C & Ends With UM

Word Length

9 Letter Words9 Letter Words Starting With C9 Letter Words Ending With M