From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Fennel \Fen"nel\ (f[e^]n"n[e^]l), n. [AS. fenol, finol, from L.
feniculum, faeniculum, dim. of fenum, faenum, hay: cf. F.
fenouil. Cf. {Fenugreek}. {Finochio}.] (Bot.)
A perennial plant of the genus {F[ae]niculum} ({F[ae]niculum
vulgare}), having very finely divided leaves. It is
cultivated in gardens for the agreeable aromatic flavor of
its seeds.
[1913 Webster]
Smell of sweetest fennel. --Milton.
[1913 Webster]
A sprig of fennel was in fact the theological smelling
bottle of the tender sex. --S. G.
Goodrich.
[1913 Webster]
{Azorean fennel}, or {Sweet fennel}, ({F[ae]niculum dulce}).
It is a smaller and stouter plant than the common fennel,
and is used as a pot herb.
{Dog's fennel} ({Anthemis Cotula}), a foul-smelling European
weed; -- called also {mayweed}.
{Fennel flower} (Bot.), an herb ({Nigella}) of the Buttercup
family, having leaves finely divided, like those of the
fennel. {Nigella Damascena} is common in gardens. {Nigella
sativa} furnishes the fennel seed, used as a condiment,
etc., in India. These seeds are the "fitches" mentioned in
Isaiah (xxviii. 25).
{Fennel water} (Med.), the distilled water of fennel seed. It
is stimulant and carminative.
{Giant fennel} ({Ferula communis}), has stems full of pith,
which, it is said, were used to carry fire, first, by
Prometheus.
{Hog's fennel}, a European plant ({Peucedanum officinale})
looking something like fennel.
[1913 Webster]
From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
fennel
n 1: any of several aromatic herbs having edible seeds and
leaves and stems
2: aromatic bulbous stem base eaten cooked or raw in salads
[syn: {fennel}, {Florence fennel}, {finocchio}]
3: leaves used for seasoning [syn: {fennel}, {common fennel}]
4: fennel seeds are ground and used as a spice or as an
ingredient of a spice mixture
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