centaury

Meanings

1. Any of the flowering plants in or formerly in the genus Centaurium.
2. Centaurium, sensu stricto
3. Gyrandra, a genus in Gentianaceae, formerly included in Centaurium, with species commonly called centaury
4. Schenkia, a genus in Gentianaceae, formerly included in Centaurium, with species commonly called centaury
5. Zeltnera, a New World genus in Gentianaceae, formerly included in Centaurium, with species commonly called centaury
6. Any of diverse other plants:
7. Centaurea, a genus in the Asteraceae containing species sometimes called centaury
8. Cheirolophus crassifolius, a species in the Asteraceae commonly known as Maltese centaury
9. Sabatia, a New World genus in the Gentianaceae containing species sometimes called centaury

Etymology

From Middle English centaure, from Old English centaurie, from Medieval Latin centaurēa, centauria, from Latin centaurēum, centaurion, from Ancient Greek κενταύρειον (kentaúreion, “several plants related to Centaurea”), from κένταυρος (kéntauros, “centaur”) (due to the mythological discovery of its medicinal properties by Chiron the Centaur). Doublet of centaurea.