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Webster 1913 Edition


Turnsole

Turn′soleˊ

,
Noun.
[F.
tournesol
, It.
tornasole
;
tornare
to turn (LL.
tornare
) +
sole
the sun, L.
sol
. See
Turn
,
Solar
,
Adj.
, and cf.
Heliotrope
.]
[Written also
turnsol
.]
1.
(Bot.)
(a)
A plant of the genus
Heliotropium
; heliotrope; – so named because its flowers are supposed to turn toward the sun.
(b)
The sunflower.
(c)
A kind of spurge (
Euphorbia Helioscopia
).
(d)
The euphorbiaceous plant
Chrozophora tinctoria
.
2.
(Chem.)
(a)
Litmus.
[Obs.]
(b)
A purple dye obtained from the plant turnsole. See def. 1
(d)
.

Webster 1828 Edition


Turnsole

TURN'SOLE

,
Noun.
[turn and L. sol, the sun.] A plant of the genus Heliotropium, so named because its flower is supposed to turn towards the sun.

Definition 2024


turnsole

turnsole

English

Alternative forms

Noun

turnsole (countable and uncountable, plural turnsoles)

  1. The heliotrope; so named because its flowers are supposed to turn toward the sun.
  2. The sunflower.
  3. A kind of spurge (Euphorbia helioscopia).
  4. The euphorbiaceous plant Chrozophora tinctoria.
  5. A purple dye obtained from Chrozophora tinctoria.
  6. (chemistry, obsolete) litmus

Anagrams