feverfew
UK[ˈfiːvəfjuː]US[ˈfiːvərfjuː]
n
a bushy aromatic european plant of the daisy family, with feathery leaves and white flowers with yellow centres, used in herbal medicine.
Morpheme Breakdown
fever
few
fever
few
Etymology
the name "feverfew" is a folk etymology, a reinterpretation of its earlier latin name 'febrifugia'. this latin term was a compound of 'febris' (fever) and 'fugare' (to drive away), literally meaning "fever-driver". as the word passed into late latin and then medieval english, the unfamiliar second element "-fugia" was replaced by the familiar english word "few", creating the logical but historically inaccurate compound "feverfew". this renaming reflects the plant's long-standing traditional use in herbal medicine to reduce fevers and treat headaches. the transformation showcases how language adapts foreign terms into more recognizable, meaningful forms for its speakers.
Analysis
Structure: fever + few
fever: from old english 'fēfor', via latin 'febris', meaning a state of high body temperature or a disease characterized by such a state.
few: from old english 'fēawe', meaning a small number of. in this compound, it is a corrupted form of an old word for 'reducer' or 'driver away'.
Examples
feverfew is often taken as a herbal supplement to prevent migraine headaches.
the garden was bordered with clusters of white-flowered feverfew.
some studies have investigated the efficacy of feverfew in treating arthritis symptoms.