mandrake

noun man·drake \ˈman-ˌdrāk\

Definition of MANDRAKE

a : a Mediterranean herb (Mandragora officinarum) of the nightshade family with large ovate leaves, greenish-yellow or purple flowers, and a large usually forked root resembling a human in form and formerly credited with magical properties

b : the root of a mandrake formerly used especially to promote conception, as a cathartic, or as a narcotic and soporific

: mayapple

See mandrake defined for kids

Illustration of MANDRAKE

Origin of MANDRAKE

Middle English, probably alteration of mandragora

First Known Use: 14th century

Rhymes with MANDRAKE

air brake, awake, backache, beefcake, beefsteak, betake, blacksnake, bull snake, canebrake, caretake, cheesecake, cheesesteak, clambake, club steak, corncrake, cube steak, cupcake, daybreak, disc brake, drum brake, earache, earthquake, fair shake, fast break, firebreak, firedrake, fish cake, flank steak, forsake, friedcake, fruitcake, green snake, grubstake, hand brake, handshake, headache, heartache, heartbreak, hoecake, hotcake, housebreak, intake, jailbreak, keepsake, king snake, lapstrake, milk snake, mistake, moonquake, muckrake, namesake, newsbreak, oatcake, oil cake, opaque, outbreak, outtake, Pan-Cake, pancake, partake, pound cake, pump fake, rat snake, remake, retake, rewake, rock brake, seaquake, sea snake, seedcake, sheldrake, shortcake, snowflake, sponge cake, Swiss steak, tea cake, toothache, unmake, uptake, wheat cake, windbreak, wind shake, youthquake

Medical Dictionary

mandrake

noun man·drake \ˈman-ˌdrāk\

Medical Definition of MANDRAKE

a : a Mediterranean solanaceous herb of the genus Mandragora (M. officinarum) that has greenish yellow or purple flowers, globose yellow fruits formerly supposed to have aphrodisiac properties, and a large usually forked root resembling a human in form and formerly credited with magical properties b (1) : the root of this plant that contains hyoscyamine and was formerly used especially to promote conception, as a cathartic, or as a narcotic and soporific (2) : a solution of mandrake root (as in wine) formerly used as a narcotic

a : mayapple b : podophyllum 2