dittany

noun

dit·​ta·​ny ˈdi-tə-nē 

plural dittanies

1

: a pink-flowered mint (Origanum dictamnus) that is native to Crete

2

: a North American mint (Cunila origanoides) having purplish or white flowers

Word History

Etymology

Middle English ditoyne, detony from Anglo-French ditayne, from Latin dictamnum, from Greek diktamnon

First Known Use

12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1