Joseph-and-Mary

noun

dialectal, England

: lungwort sense 2a

Word History

Etymology

after Joseph and Mary, parents of Jesus; from the red and blue flowers that suggested representations of the Holy Family in which Joseph was pictured in red and Mary in blue

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

• More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
• Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
• Advanced search features
• Ad free!