saxifrage

[ sak-suh-frij ]
/ ˈsæk sə frɪdʒ /

noun

any plant of the genus Saxifraga, certain species of which grow wild in the clefts of rocks, other species of which are cultivated for their flowers.
Compare saxifrage family.

Origin of saxifrage

1400–50; late Middle English < Latin saxifraga ( herba) stone-breaking (herb), equivalent to saxi-, combining form of saxum stone + -fraga, feminine of -fragus breaking; see fragile

Words nearby saxifrage

saxe-weimar-eisenach, saxhorn, saxicoline, saxicolous, saxifragaceous, saxifrage, saxifrage family, saxitoxin, saxo grammaticus, saxon, saxon blue

Example sentences from the Web for saxifrage

British Dictionary definitions for saxifrage

saxifrage
/ (ˈsæksɪˌfreɪdʒ) /

noun

any saxifragaceous plant of the genus Saxifraga, characterized by smallish white, yellow, purple, or pink flowers

Word Origin for saxifrage

C15: from Late Latin saxifraga, literally: rock-breaker (probably alluding to its ability to dissolve kidney stones), from Latin saxum rock + frangere to break