| Eglantine | n. [ F. églantine, fr. OF. aiglent brier, hip tree, fr. (assumed) LL. acuculentus, fr. a dim. of L. acus needle; cf. F. aiguille needle. Cf. Aglet. ] (Bot.) (a) A species of rose (Rosa Eglanteria), with fragrant foliage and flowers of various colors. (b) The sweetbrier (R. rubiginosa). [ 1913 Webster ] ☞ Milton, in the following lines, has applied the name to some twining plant, perhaps the honeysuckle. [ 1913 Webster ] Through the sweetbrier, or the vine,
Or the twisted eglantine. L'Allegro, 47. “In our early writers and in Gerarde and the herbalists, it was a shrub with white flowers.” Dr. Prior. [ 1913 Webster ] |
