Bacopa

noun

Ba·​co·​pa

bə-ˈkō-pə

1

a

: a genus of chiefly tropical herbs (family Scrophulariaceae) with opposite leaves and small solitary flowers

b

: an herb of the genus Bacopa : water hyssop

… adds a bacopa extract to its Memory Optimizer pills because the herb "improves memory and the ability to learn new information," according to the company.

—David Schardt, Nutrition Action, May 2007

2

: a southern African trailing plant (Sutera cordata of the family Scrophulariaceae) that has heart-shaped evergreen leaves and small, 5-petaled, often white flowers and that is used especially as a ground cover and in hanging baskets

Each wood column has a basket of impatiens hanging at eye level and a big pot of coleus and trailing bacopa at the base.

—Jim McCausland, Sunset, June 2006

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, probably from a native name in the Guianas

First Known Use

1908, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

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