1.
[syn: costmary, alecost, bible leaf, mint geranium, balsam herb, Tanacetum balsamita, Chrysanthemum balsamita]
2. leaves used sparingly (because of bitter overtones) in sauces and soups and stuffings;
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Costmary \Cost"ma*ry\ (k?st"m?-r?), n. [L. costum an Oriental
aromatic plant (Gr. ???, cf. Ar. kost, kust) + Maria Mary.
Cf. Alecost.] (Bot.)
A garden plant (Chrysanthemum Balsamita) having a strong
balsamic smell, and nearly allied to tansy. It is used as a
pot herb and salad plant and in flavoring ale and beer.
Called also alecost.
[1913 Webster]
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
costmary
n 1: tansy-scented Eurasian perennial herb with buttonlike
yellow flowers; used as potherb or salad green and
sometimes for potpourri or tea or flavoring; sometimes
placed in genus Chrysanthemum [syn: costmary, alecost,
bible leaf, mint geranium, balsam herb, Tanacetum
balsamita, Chrysanthemum balsamita]
2: leaves used sparingly (because of bitter overtones) in sauces
and soups and stuffings