dittany

[ dit-n-ee ]
/ ˈdɪt n i /

noun, plural dit·ta·nies.

a Cretan plant, Origanum dictamnus, of the mint family, having spikes of purple flowers and formerly believed to have medicinal qualities.
Also called stone mint. a North American plant, Cunila origanoides, of the mint family, bearing clusters of purplish flowers.
gas plant.

Origin of dittany

1350–1400; Middle English ditane, detany < Old French dita(i)n < Latin dictamnus, dictamnum < Greek díktamnon, perhaps akin to Díktē, a mountain in Crete where the herb abounded

Words nearby dittany

ditransitive, ditriglyph, ditrochee, ditsy, dittander, dittany, dittersdorf, ditto, ditto machine, ditto mark, dittograph

Example sentences from the Web for dittany

British Dictionary definitions for dittany

dittany
/ (ˈdɪtənɪ) /

noun plural -nies

an aromatic Cretan plant, Origanum dictamnus, with pink drooping flowers: formerly credited with great medicinal properties: family Lamiaceae (labiates)
Also called: stone mint a North American labiate plant, Cunila origanoides, with clusters of purplish flowers
another name for gas plant

Word Origin for dittany

C14: from Old French ditan, from Latin dictamnus, from Greek diktamnon, perhaps from Diktē, mountain in Crete