sorrel Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun any plant or flower of the genus Oxalis
    wood sorrel; oxalis.
  2. noun any of certain coarse weedy plants with long taproots, sometimes used as table greens or in folk medicine
    dock; sour grass.
  3. noun East Indian sparsely prickly annual herb or perennial subshrub widely cultivated for its fleshy calyxes used in tarts and jelly and for its bast fiber
    roselle; red sorrel; rozelle; Jamaica sorrel; Hibiscus sabdariffa.
  4. noun large sour-tasting arrowhead-shaped leaves used in salads and sauces
    common sorrel.
  5. noun a horse of a brownish orange to light brown color
  6. adjective satellite of a light brownish color
    brownish-orange.

WordNet

Sor"rel adjective
Etymology
F. saur, saure, OF. sor, sore, probably of Teutonic origin; cf. D. zoor dry, LG. soor; the meaning probably coming from the color of dry leaves. See Sear, a., and cf. Sorel.
Definitions
  1. Of a yellowish or redish brown color; as, a sorrel horse.
Sor"rel noun
Definitions
  1. A yellowish or redish brown color.
Sor"rel noun
Etymology
F. surelle, fr. sur sour, fr. OHG. sr sour. See Sour.
Definitions
  1. (Bot.) One of various plants having a sour juice; especially, a plant of the genus Rumex, as Rumex Acetosa, Rumex Acetosella, etc.

Webster 1913