tormentil Meaning, Definition & Usage

Tor"men*til noun
Etymology
F. tormentille; cf. Pr., It., & NL. tormentilla, Sp. tormentila; all fr. L. tormentum pain. So called because it is said to allay pain. See Torment.
Definitions
  1. (Bot.) A rosaceous herb (Potentilla Tormentilla), the root of which is used as a powerful astringent, and for alleviating gripes, or tormina, in diarrhea.

Webster 1913