sainfoin

[ seyn-foin ]

/ ˈseɪn fɔɪn /

a Eurasian plant, Onobrychis viciifolia, of the legume family, having pinnate leaves and clusters of pink flowers, used for forage.

Origin of sainfoin

1620–30; < French, equivalent to Middle French sain (< Latin sānus healthy) + foin (< Latin fēnum, faenum hay)

There are occasional fields of sainfoin and of turnips; but these latter are small, and no ridging or hurdling is yet practised.

Atlantic Monthly, Volume 12, No. 73, November, 1863 |Various
The methods for making alfalfa hay will apply also to sainfoin.

Clovers and How to Grow Them |Thomas Shaw
Besides beetroot for sugar, clover and sainfoin are grown, little or no barley, and neither turnips nor mangel-wurzel.

In the Heart of Vosges |Matilda Betham-Edwards
The word Sainfoin is equivalent to the French words for sound or wholesome hay.

Clovers and How to Grow Them |Thomas Shaw

It feeds on the wild heartsease, also on sainfoin and borage.

British Butterfiles |W. S. Coleman

sainfoin

/ (ˈsænfɔɪn) /

a Eurasian perennial leguminous plant, Onobrychis viciifolia, widely grown as a forage crop, having pale pink flowers and curved pods

C17: from French, from Medieval Latin sānum faenum wholesome hay, referring to its former use as a medicine