1.
[syn: hellebore, false hellebore]
2. any plant of the Eurasian genus Helleborus;
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Hellebore \Hel"le*bore\, n. [L. helleborus, elleborus, Gr. ?, ?;
cf. F. hell['e]bore, ell['e]bore.]
[1913 Webster]
1. (Bot.) A genus of perennial herbs (Helleborus) of the
Crowfoot family, mostly having powerfully cathartic and
even poisonous qualities. Helleborus niger is the
European black hellebore, or Christmas rose, blossoming in
winter or earliest spring. Helleborus officinalis was
the officinal hellebore of the ancients.
[1913 Webster]
2. (Bot.) Any plant of several species of the poisonous
liliaceous genus Veratrum, especially Veratrum album
and Veratrum viride, both called white hellebore.
[1913 Webster]
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
hellebore
n 1: perennial herbs of the lily family having thick toxic
rhizomes [syn: hellebore, false hellebore]
2: any plant of the Eurasian genus Helleborus