colchicum

noun

col·​chi·​cum ˈkäl-chi-kəm 

ˈkäl-ki-

1

: any of a genus (Colchicum of the family Colchicaceae, the colchicum family) of Old World corm-producing herbs with flowers that resemble crocuses

2

: the dried corm or dried seeds of autumn crocus containing colchicine, possessing emetic, diuretic, and cathartic action, and used to treat gout

Examples of colchicum in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The colchicums send up a big, bold, and blousy mass of shiny green foliage in early summer. —Paul Cappiello, The Courier-Journal, 4 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, genus name, from Latin, a kind of plant with a poisonous root, from Greek kolchikon, literally, product of Colchis

First Known Use

1597, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Medical Definition

colchicum

noun

col·​chi·​cum -kəm 

1

capitalized : a genus of chiefly fall-blooming Old World corm-producing herbs (family Liliaceae) that produce flowers resembling crocuses

2

: a bulb, flower, or plant (as the autumn crocus) of the genus Colchicum

3

: the dried corm or dried ripe seeds of the autumn crocus containing the alkaloid colchicine, possessing an emetic, diuretic, and cathartic action, and used to treat gout

called also colchicum root