centaury
pronunciation
How to pronounce centaury in British English:
UK [sen'tɔ:rɪ]
How to pronounce centaury in American English:
US [sen'tɒrɪ]
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- Noun:
- any of various plants of the genus Centaurium
- any plant of the genus Centaurea
Word Origin
- centaury (n.)
- small plant with red flowers (now usually erythraea Centaureum), late 14c., from Medieval Latin centaurea, from Latin centaureum, from Greek kentaureion, from kentauros "centaur" (see centaur), so called according to Pliny because the plant's medicinal properties were discovered by Chiron the centaur. German Tausendgüldenkraut is based on a mistranslation of the Latin word, as if from centum + aurum (the similarity might be the result of Roman folk etymology).
Example
- 1. France narrowly avoided revolution at the end of the 18th centaury , and the death of last bourbon king lead to the crown passing to the spanish branch of the family .
- 2. Almost one hundred and sixty years have passed since the emergence of china 's security market in the middle of19th centaury , the change of which had close relationship with the political system , the economy , the military and the culture at that period .