sowbread

[ sou-bred ]
/ ˈsaʊˌbrɛd /

noun

any of several species of cyclamen, especially Cyclamen hederifolium, a low-growing Old World plant having mottled leaves and pink or white flowers.

Origin of sowbread

1540–50; sow2 + bread; so called because the roots are sought after by hogs

Words nearby sowbread

sow one's wild oats, sow thistle, sow wild oats, sowback, sowbelly, sowbread, sowcar, sowens, soweto, sown, sox

British Dictionary definitions for sowbread

sowbread
/ (ˈsaʊˌbrɛd) /

noun

a S European primulaceous plant, Cyclamen hederifolium, with heart-shaped leaves and pink nodding flowers See also cyclamen (def. 1)

Word Origin for sowbread

C16: from sow ² + bread, based on Medieval Latin panis porcinus; the tuberous roots are eaten by swine