mistletoe

mistletoe
SYN: viscum (1).

* * *

mis·tle·toe 'mis-əl-.tō, chiefly Brit 'miz- n any of various parasitic or semiparasitic plants (family Loranthaceae, the mistletoe family) that have thick leathery mostly opposite and sometimes scaly leaves and include some formerly used in preparations with oxytocic, antispasmodic, or heart-stimulating properties: as
a) a European semiparasitic green shrub (Viscum album) having somewhat poisonous leaves, stems, and waxy-white glutinous berries that have been used in folk medicine
b) any of various American plants (genus Phoradendron and esp. P. serotinum syn. P. flavescens) resembling the true mistletoe of Europe

* * *

mis·tle·toe (misґəl-to) any of several parasitic shrubs of the family Loranthaceae. European mistletoe is Viscum album; it contains small amounts of toxins such as pressor amines, beta-phenylethylamine, and tyramine and is used for rheumatism and as an adjunct in cancer therapy; it is also used in traditional Chinese medicine and homeopathy.

Medical dictionary. 2011.

Игры ⚽ Нужна курсовая?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Mistletoe — Mis tle*toe, n. [AS. mistelt[=a]n; mistel mistletoe + t[=a]n twig. AS. mistel is akin of D., G., Dan. & Sw. mistel, OHG. mistil, Icel. mistilteinn; and AS. t[=a]n to D. teen, OHG. zein, Icel. teinn, Goth. tains. Cf. {Missel}.] (Bot.) A parasitic… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • mistletoe — [mis′əl tō΄] n. [OE misteltan (akin to ON mistilteinn) < mistel, mistletoe (prob. < Gmc * mista, dung: from being propagated by seeds in bird dung) + tan, a twig] 1. any of various evergreen plants (genera Phoradendron and Viscum) of the… …   English World dictionary

  • Mistletoe — est le premier single extrait de l album Under the Mistletoe de Justin Bieber. Le single est sorti le 17 octobre 2011. Portail de la musique Catégories : Œuvre musicale …   Wikipédia en Français

  • mistletoe — (n.) O.E. mistiltan, from mistel mistletoe (see MISSEL (Cf. missel)) + tan twig. Cf. O.N. mistilteinn, Norw. misteltein, Dan. mistelten. The second element is cognate with O.S., O.Fris. ten, O.N. teinn, Du. teen, O.H.G …   Etymology dictionary

  • mistletoe — ► NOUN ▪ an evergreen parasitic plant which grows on broadleaf trees and bears white berries in winter. ORIGIN Old English …   English terms dictionary

  • Mistletoe — For other uses, see Mistletoe (disambiguation). European mistletoe attached to a silver birch Mistletoe is the common name for obligate hemi parasitic plants in several families in the order Santalales. The plants in question grow attached to and …   Wikipedia

  • mistletoe — /mis euhl toh /, n. 1. a European plant, Viscum album, having yellowish flowers and white berries, growing parasitically on various trees, used in Christmas decorations. 2. any of several other related, similar plants, as Phoradendron serotinum,… …   Universalium

  • mistletoe —    The reputation of mistletoe was created by Pliny in his Natural History (AD 77). He wrote that in Gaul the *Druids thought it sacred if it grew on an oak (which it rarely does); they believed it protected against injury by fire or water, made… …   A Dictionary of English folklore

  • mistletoe — noun Etymology: Middle English mistilto, from Old English misteltān, from mistel mistletoe + tān twig; akin to Old High German & Old Saxon mistil mistletoe and to Old High German zein twig Date: before 12th century a European semiparasitic green… …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • mistletoe — [OE] Mistletoe is a mystery word. It means literally ‘mistletoe twig’, and comes from an Old English compound misteltān formed from mistel ‘mistletoe’ and tān ‘twig’. The origins of mistel, however (which has relatives in German mistil and Dutch… …   The Hutchinson dictionary of word origins

  • mistletoe — [OE] Mistletoe is a mystery word. It means literally ‘mistletoe twig’, and comes from an Old English compound misteltān formed from mistel ‘mistletoe’ and tān ‘twig’. The origins of mistel, however (which has relatives in German mistil and Dutch… …   Word origins

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”