Definition

Noun: 1. A tall European plant: A tall, leafy European biennial or perennial plant (Digitalis purpurea) known for its striking clusters of large, tubular, pink-purple flowers. Its leaves are the source of the drug digitalis and are toxic to livestock.

Usage

• This term is primarily used in botanical contexts to identify the specific plant species .
• It is a compound noun that functions as a single common name for the plant.

Examples

• "The hillside was covered with the vibrant pink blooms of finger-root."
• "While beautiful, finger-root is a poisonous plant that should not be ingested."
• "The active compounds in finger-root are used to create important heart medications."

Advanced Usage

• The name "finger-root" is one of many common names for this plant. It is more formally and widely known as foxglove.
• The term can be used attributively (like an adjective) to describe related things, e.g., "finger-root extract" or "finger-root poisoning."

Variants and Related Words

• Foxglove: The most common common name for .
• Digitalis: This is both the name of the genus () and the medicinal drug derived from the plant's leaves.
• Fairy gloves, folk's glove: Other archaic or regional common names for the same plant.

Synonyms

• Foxglove
• Common foxglove
• (scientific name)

Notes on Meaning

• The name "finger-root" likely originates from the shape of the plant's flowers, which can resemble the fingers of a glove, and its root system. It is important not to confuse this compound noun with the separate words "finger" and "root."

Noun

1. tall leafy European biennial or perennial having spectacular clusters of large tubular pink-purple flowers; leaves yield drug digitalis and are poisonous to livestock