digitalis en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- /dɪd͡ʒɪˈtælɪs/ (US)
- (US) audio
- /dɪd͡ʒɪˈteɪlɪs/ (US)
- /dɪdʒɪˈtɑːlɪs/ (UK)
Etymology
Modern Latin, from Latin digitālis (“of the fingers”) (named in reference to the German common name for the plant, Fingerhut (“thimble”)). Doublet of digital.
Meanings
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(countable, uncountable) Any plant of the genus Digitalis (herbaceous plants of the Plantaginaceae family, including the foxglove, Digitalis purpurea).
11. Delphiniums and digitalises.
1834, James Moore, “Gardens of the Misses Garnier”, in The Gardener’s Magazine, and Register of Rural & Domestic Improvement, volume 19, page 210:At the Medico-Botanical Society on Tuesday, Dr. Morries, made some some observations on opium, digitales, conium, and hyoscyamus, and exhibited specimens of oils obtained from the latter plants.
1836, Joseph Harrison, The Floricultural Cabinet, and Florists’ Magazine, volume 4, page 133:Polemoniums of various species, aubretias, dwarf phloxes, delphiniums, digitalises, gerums, erigerons and a number of other things have bloomed a second time […]
1903, American Florist, volume 19, page 555:
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(countable, uncountable) A medical extract of Digitalis purpurea prescribed for heart failure etc.
The ancient remedy digitalis, extracted from the foxglove plant, for example, acts by blocking sodium channels in heart muscle, preventing potentially dangerous overactivity.
2001, Leslie Iversen, Drugs: A Very Short Introduction, Oxford, page 25:‘You very nearly died. I had to give you digitalis three times.’
1940, Raymond Chandler, Farewell, My Lovely, Penguin, published 2010, page 188:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| digitalises | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Deriveds
digitoxin · digitaloid · digitalin
Relateds
Translations (20)
es digital (genus) · de Fingerhut (genus) · pl naparstnica (genus) · cmn 洋地黃 /洋地黄 (genus) · cmn 洋地黃製劑 /洋地黄制剂 (extract) · es digitalina (extract) · gl estalote (genus) · pt digital (genus) · el δακτυλίτιδα (genus) · it digitale (genus) · fi sormustinkukat (genus) · fi digitalis (extract) · ru наперстя́нка (genus) · pt dedaleira (genus) · pt digitalina (extract) · es dedalera (genus) · sv fingerborgsblomma (genus) · cmn 毛地黃 /毛地黄 (genus) · id digitalis (extract) · bg напръстник (genus)