saxifrage

noun

sax·​i·​frage ˈsak-sə-frij How to pronounce saxifrage (audio)
-ˌfrāj
: any of a genus (Saxifraga of the family Saxifragaceae, the saxifrage family) of chiefly perennial herbs with showy pentamerous flowers and often with basal tufted leaves

Examples of saxifrage in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Right at your feet, a mushy tundra is rich in colorful life eking out an existence: White Arctic bell heather, willow herb, drooping saxifrage, Arctic poppy, and lousewort fern. John Oseid, Forbes, 11 Oct. 2022 Yet his work lives in the plants named after him: Michaux’s sumac; the fern Pleopeltis michauxiana; a wildflower called Michaux’s saxifrage. Shaun Assael, Smithsonian Magazine, 22 June 2021 The flora and fauna are out of fairy tales: polar bears, arctic foxes, reindeer, walruses, purple saxifrage, dwarf willow, psychedelic orange lichen. BostonGlobe.com, 26 Sep. 2019 This is an American native, a member of the saxifrage family. Margaret Lauterbach, idahostatesman, 11 Apr. 2018

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin saxifraga, from Latin, feminine of saxifragus breaking rocks, from saxum rock + frangere to break — more at break

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of saxifrage was in the 14th century

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Cite this Entry

“Saxifrage.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/saxifrage. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024.

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