a Eurasian plant, Stachys (or Betonica) officinalis, with a spike of reddish-purple flowers, formerly used in medicine and dyeing: family Lamiaceae (labiates)
2.
any of several related plants of the genus Stachys
3. wood betony
Word origin
C14: from Old French betoine, from Latin betonica, variant of vettonica, probably named after the Vettones, an ancient Iberian tribe
betony in American English
(ˈbɛtəni)
nounWord forms: pluralˈbetonies
1.
any of a genus (Stachys) of plants of the mint family, having spikes of white, yellow, or lavender flowers and formerly used in medicine
2.
wood betony
Word origin
ME betonike < OE betonice < LL betonica, altered < L vettonica, after the Vettones, an ancient Iberian people