saxifrage

saxifrage
saxifrage late 14c., from O.Fr. saxifrage (13c.), from L.L. saxifraga "kind of herb," from L. saxifraga herba, lit. "a rock-breaking herb," from saxifragus "stonebreaking," from saxum "stone, rock" + frag-, root of frangere "to break" (see FRACTION (Cf. fraction)). Pliny says the plant was so called because it was given to dissolve gallstones, but a more likely explanation is that it was so called because it grows in crevices in rocks. (Latin used two different words for "stone" and "gallstone" -- saxum and calculus).

Etymology dictionary. 2014.

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  • saxifrage — [ saksifraʒ ] n. f. et adj. • XIIIe; du lat. saxum « rocher » et frangere « briser » 1 ♦ Plante herbacée (saxifragacées) dont certaines espèces croissent dans les fissures des rochers et des murs. « leurs parois où pendent les filaments des… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Saxifrage — Sax i*frage (?; 48), n. [L. saxifraga, from saxifragus stone breaking; saxum rock + frangere to break: cf. F. saxifrage. See {Fracture}, and cf. {Sassafras}, {Saxon}.] (Bot.) Any plant of the genus {Saxifraga}, mostly perennial herbs growing in… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • saxifrage — [sak′sə frij΄] n. [ME < MFr < L saxifraga < saxum, a rock (see SAXATILE) + base of frangere, to BREAK: prob. from growing in rock crevices] any of a genus (Saxifraga) of chiefly perennial plants of the saxifrage family, with small white …   English World dictionary

  • saxifrage — Saxifrage, ou Rompierre, Saxifragum, ou Saxifraga …   Thresor de la langue françoyse

  • saxifrage — ► NOUN ▪ a low growing plant of rocky or stony ground, bearing small white, yellow, or red flowers. ORIGIN Latin saxifraga, from saxum rock + frangere to break …   English terms dictionary

  • Saxifrage — Saxifrag …   Wikipédia en Français

  • saxifrage — (sa ksi fra j ) adj. 1°   Ancien terme de médecine. Propre à dissoudre la pierre ; on dit aujourd hui lithontriptique. 2°   S. f. Genre de la famille des saxifragées où l on distingue : la saxifrage ombreuse, appelée généralement aigrette par les …   Dictionnaire de la Langue Française d'Émile Littré

  • Saxifrage — See HMS Saxifrage for ship names. For the fictional character, see Sax Russell. Taxobox name = Saxifraga image width = 240px image caption = Saxifraga oppositifolia regnum = Plantae divisio = Magnoliophyta classis = Magnoliopsida ordo =… …   Wikipedia

  • saxifrage — /sak seuh frij/, n. any plant of the genus Saxifraga, certain species of which grow wild in the clefts of rocks, other species of which are cultivated for their flowers. Cf. saxifrage family. [1400 50; late ME < L saxifraga (herba) stone breaking …   Universalium

  • saxifrage — [15] The saxifrage is etymologically the ‘stone breaker’. The word comes via Old French saxifrage from late Latin saxifraga, a compound formed from Latin saxum ‘rock’ and frag , the stem of frangere ‘break’ (source of English fraction, fracture,… …   The Hutchinson dictionary of word origins

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