spignel

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spignel

/ˈspɪɡnəl/ US, UK

Where it comes from

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.

noun spignels · spicknel · spikenel · spiknel

countable, uncountable 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. 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 berwurt
Similar: baldmoney, bear's wort, bearwort, bear-wort, maldmoney, meon, meu, meum
countable, uncountable Preceded by a descriptive word: a plant resembling Meum athamanticum. SESELI; Wild-ſpignel.
countable, obsolete, uncountable The dried, powdered root of Meum athamanticum used as a cooking spice or a medicine. [G]entian root, celtic ſpikenard, ſpignel, (meum athamanticum) mountain poly leaves, St. John's wort leaves, […] each half an ounce, […]

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MLA

"spignel." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/spignel. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

APA

spignel. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/spignel

Chicago

"spignel." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/spignel.

BibTeX

@misc{spignel_2026,
  title = {spignel},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/spignel},
  urldate = {2026-11-06}
}