a Eurasian woodland plant, Paris quadrifolia, with a whorl of four leaves and a solitary yellow flower: formerly used medicinally: family Trilliaceae
Word origin
C16: from Medieval Latin herba paris, literally: herb of a pair: so called because the four leaves on the stalk look likea true lovers' knot; associated in folk etymology with Paris, France
herb Paris in American English
a woodland plant (Paris quadrifolia) of the lily family, with yellowish-green flowers, similar to the trillium, but having its leaves and flower parts in fours instead of threes
Word origin
ML herba paris, lit. prob., herb of a pair (< L herba, herb + paris, gen. of par, a pair: see par1, in allusion to even number of flower parts): assoc. with Paris2 by folk etym.