Spignel
noun ·Uncommon ·Advanced level
Definitions
- 1 Meum athamanticum, an ornamental plant in the Apiaceae family found in mountain areas in Central and Western Europe, with roots and feathery leaves used as food and for medicinal purposes. countable, uncountable
"I would gladly cõſẽt to thẽ yͭ holde yͭ yͤ herbe wich is called of the apothecaries feniculũ tortuoſum⸝ of yͤ Northẽ Engliſhe mẽ ſpiknel⸝ of the Duche mẽ berwurtz⸝ is yͤ true mew, if yͭ I could fynd any ſpicknel or berwurtz yͭ were of ij. cubites hygh. […] [W]here as the Mew of Mattiolus⸝ yͤ berwurtz of Germany & yͤ ſpiknel of Englãd (which peraduẽture was ones called Spiknard) haue a rough thyng like to the Iudiſh Spiknarde in the hygheſt parte of the root⸝ out of whiche the ſtalke cõmeth firſt furth⸝ the mew of Amatus hath yͤ ſame rough tuht lyke Spiknarde⸝ as he writeth in infirma parte⸝ in the loweſt parte of the roote⸝ which thyng if it be ſo⸝ neither Matthiolus nor I know the ryght mew; […]"
- 2 Preceded by a descriptive word: a plant resembling Meum athamanticum. countable, uncountable
"SESELI; Wild-ſpignel."
- 3 The dried, powdered root of Meum athamanticum used as a cooking spice or a medicine. countable, obsolete, uncountable
"[G]entian root, celtic ſpikenard, ſpignel, (meum athamanticum) mountain poly leaves, St. John's wort leaves, […] each half an ounce, […]"
Example
More examples"I would gladly cõſẽt to thẽ yͭ holde yͭ yͤ herbe wich is called of the apothecaries feniculũ tortuoſum⸝ of yͤ Northẽ Engliſhe mẽ ſpiknel⸝ of the Duche mẽ berwurtz⸝ is yͤ true mew, if yͭ I could fynd any ſpicknel or berwurtz yͭ were of ij. cubites hygh. […] [W]here as the Mew of Mattiolus⸝ yͤ berwurtz of Germany & yͤ ſpiknel of Englãd (which peraduẽture was ones called Spiknard) haue a rough thyng like to the Iudiſh Spiknarde in the hygheſt parte of the root⸝ out of whiche the ſtalke cõmeth firſt furth⸝ the mew of Amatus hath yͤ ſame rough tuht lyke Spiknarde⸝ as he writeth in infirma parte⸝ in the loweſt parte of the roote⸝ which thyng if it be ſo⸝ neither Matthiolus nor I know the ryght mew; […]"
Etymology
Either: * an alteration of Middle English spigurnel (“unidentified broomlike flowering plant with medicinal uses”) [and other forms], borrowed from Anglo-Norman spigurnel, spigurnelle, and Anglo-Latin spigurnella, further etymology unknown; or * from spike + nail, because of the shape of its capillary leaves.
Related phrases
More for "spignel"
Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.