either of two alkaloid drugs, atropine or hyoscyamine, obtained from the leaves and roots of the deadly nightshade
2. another name for deadly nightshade
Word origin
C16: from Italian, literally: beautiful lady; supposed to refer to its use by womenas a cosmetic
belladonna in American English
(ˌbɛləˈdɑnə)
noun
1.
a poisonous European plant (Atropa belladonna) of the nightshade family, with purplish or reddish bell-shaped flowers and shiny black berries; deadly nightshade: it is a source of atropine
2.
atropine
Word origin
ModL < It bella donna, lit., beautiful lady: a folk etym. (infl. by cosmetic use for dilating the eye) forML bladona, nightshade, prob. < Gaul
Examples of 'belladonna' in a sentence
belladonna
`Remember in the shop at the New Exchange, Rebecca declined the belladonna -- BUT she said that Anne Lucas used the drops on stage.
Fidelis Morgan THE RIVAL QUEENS: A COUNTESS ASHBY DE LA ZOUCHE MYSTERY (2002)
Obviously the woman had been given a drug similar to if not actually belladonna.