Medical Dictionary

asclepias

noun as·cle·pi·as \ə-ˈsklē-pē-əs, a-\

Medical Definition of ASCLEPIAS

1
capitalized :  a genus (family Asclepiadaceae) of perennial herbs found chiefly in North America with flowers having a corona of five concave hoods each of which bears a slender horn—see butterfly weed, milkweed
2
:  any plant of the genus Asclepias
3
:  the dried root of the butterfly weed formerly used as a diaphoretic and expectorant—called also pleurisy root

Biographical Note for ASCLEPIAS

Aesculapius —see staff of aesculapius

Browse

How to use a word that (literally) drives some people nuts.
Test your vocab with our fun, fast game
Ailurophobia, and 9 other unusual fears