gentian
noun
gen·tian
| \ ˈjen(t)-shən
\
\
Definition of gentian
1
: any of numerous herbs (family Gentianaceae, the gentian family, and especially genus Gentiana) with opposite smooth leaves and showy usually blue flowers
2
: the rhizome and roots of a yellow-flowered gentian (Gentiana lutea) of southern Europe that is used as a tonic, stomachic, and flavoring in vermouth
Examples of gentian in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Other, lower-living species—showy gentians, a spiky aster relative called Chuquiraga, purple lupines—had moved upslope by an average of more than 500 meters since 1802. — Tim Appenzeller, Science | AAAS, "Global warming has made iconic Andean peak unrecognizable," 11 Sep. 2019 These oil-regulating results are all thanks to a mixture of pure herbal extracts (like burdock, ivy, and gentian), as well as free-floating marigold petals, which are placed in the bottle by hand. — Rebecca Norris, Allure, "Kiehl's Sells a Bottle of Its Calendula Toner Every 12 Seconds," 3 May 2018 One of these signatures is the Bitter Storm Over Ulm—a blend of Aveze Gentian (a liqueur made with wild yellow gentian foraged in France), lemon, macvin, and pear. — Ali Francis, Bon Appetit, "7 Delicious Ways To Eat Flowers," 30 May 2017 Bitters are typically made from clear alcohol infused with plants like gentian, fennel, and dandelion root. — Juno Demelo, Bon Appetit, "Why You Should Be Cooking With This Bar Staple," 6 Feb. 2017 Their Amaro di Bilaro — a label that combines their two last names — uses a grape spirit base and 13 botanicals, including rosemary and spearmint from the couple’s backyard, as well as gentian, rhubarb root and myrrh. — Mary Orlin, The Mercury News, "Amaro amore: The Bay Area’s passion for bittersweet liqueur," 1 Apr. 2017 It is well stocked with various pitcher plants, bog orchids, violets, gentians, sundews and flytraps. — The Washington Post, NOLA.com, "These stunning plants all have one thing in common: A taste for blood," 3 July 2017 One of these signatures is the Bitter Storm Over Ulm—a blend of Aveze Gentian (a liqueur made with wild yellow gentian foraged in France), lemon, macvin, and pear. — Ali Francis, Bon Appetit, "7 Delicious Ways To Eat Flowers," 30 May 2017These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'gentian.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for gentian
gentian
noun
gen·tian
| \ ˈjen-chən
\
\
Kids Definition of gentian
: a plant with smooth leaves and usually blue flowers
gentian
noun
gen·tian
| \ ˈjen-chən
\
\
Medical Definition of gentian
1
: any of two genera (Gentiana and Dasystephana) of herbs belonging to a family (Gentianaceae, the gentian family) and having opposite smooth leaves and showy usually blue flowers
2
: the rhizome and roots of a yellow-flowered gentian (Gentiana lutea) of southern Europe that is used as a tonic and stomachic
— called also gentian root