BELLADONNA, n. In Italian a beautiful lady; in English a deadly
poison. A striking example of the essential identity of the two
tongues.
- 1811 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue
Bel`la*don"na (&?;), n. [It., literally fine
lady; bella beautiful + donna lady.] (Bot.)
(a) An herbaceous European plant (Atropa
belladonna) with reddish bell-shaped flowers and shining black berries.
The whole plant and its fruit are very poisonous, and the root and leaves
are used as powerful medicinal agents. Its properties are largely due to
the alkaloid atropine which it contains. Called also deadly
nightshade. (b) A species of
Amaryllis (A. belladonna); the belladonna lily.
- Webster's Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
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