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Glite Dictionary
Cimicifuga foetida

Cimicifuga foetida

9.9
A plant that lives for many years in Siberia and eastern Asia with smelly pale green flowers
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : Cimicifuga foetida
  • Gardeners are sometimes deterred by the smell produced when Cimicifuga foetida blooms.

Examples

  • Cimicifuga foetida is often found growing wild in forests across Siberia.

  • Researchers study Cimicifuga foetida for its potential use in herbal medicine.

  • The Cimicifuga foetida is known for its unique flowers.

  • Many gardeners appreciate the Cimicifuga foetida for its hardiness.

  • The strong odor emitted by Cimicifuga foetida can be off-putting to some people.

  • Cimicifuga foetida grows well in shady areas of the forest.

  • During the summer, the flowers of Cimicifuga foetida bloom, attracting various insects.

Synonyms

fetid bugbane
vsCimicifuga foetida
9.9

A plant with green and white flowers that smell very bad

is the formal botanical name used for the same plant

Surface Forms

Cimicifuga foetida singular
Cimicifuga foetidas plural

Morphology

Cimicifuga + foetida

This is a Latin binomial (genus + specific epithet) where the sense is compositionally derived: Cimicifuga (a herb) + foetida (Latin for fetid/ill‑smelling) would yield a smelly species of Cimicifuga. However, the epithet is a non‑English, specialist form and botanical naming conventions are domain‑specific, so a typical B1 learner—even if they know 'Cimicifuga' as a herb—would not reliably infer the precise meaning without prior exposure, making it only partially transparent.

Etymology

The plant name Cimicifuga foetida may come from old Latin words: cimex meaning 'bug' and fugare meaning 'to drive away', while foetida means 'smelly'. So the name paints the image of a 'smelly bug-repeller', which fits this Siberian plant because its flowers smell strong and it was said to keep insects away.