samphire

[ sam-fahyuh r ]
/ ˈsæm faɪər /

noun

a European succulent plant, Crithmum maritimum, of the parsley family, having compound leaves and small, whitish flowers, growing in clefts of rock near the sea.

Origin of samphire

1535–45; earlier sampiere < Middle French ( herbe de) Saint Pierre (herb of) Saint Peter

Example sentences from the Web for samphire

British Dictionary definitions for samphire

samphire
/ (ˈsæmˌfaɪə) /

noun

Also called: rock samphire an umbelliferous plant, Crithmum maritimum, of Eurasian coasts, having fleshy divided leaves and clusters of small greenish-white flowers
golden samphire a Eurasian coastal plant, Inula crithmoides, with fleshy leaves and yellow flower heads: family Asteraceae (composites)
another name for glasswort (def. 1)
any of several other plants of coastal areas

Word Origin for samphire

C16 sampiere, from French herbe de Saint Pierre Saint Peter's herb; perhaps influenced by camphire camphor