sermountain

English

Etymology

From Middle English sermontayne, from Old French sermontain. The modern English form has been remodelled after mountain.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈsɜːˌmaʊn.tɪn/, /ˌsɜːˈmaʊn.tɪn/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈsɝˌmaʊn.tən/, /ˌsɝˈmaʊn.tən/

Noun

sermountain (uncountable)

1. (now rare) A plant of the genus Laserpitium.

   Hyponym: laserwort

   • 1694, John Pechey, “Peony, in Latin Paeonia”, in The compleat herbal of physical plants‎^[1], Henry Bonwicke, page 146:

     Take of the freſh Roots of both Peonies, at Full Moon, each one Ounce and an half; ſlice them, and infuſe them in white-wine for the ſpace of a Day; of Contrayerra^[sic] half an Ounce, of Sermountain ſix Drams […]

   • 1814, “Liber Secundus”, in Vergil, edited by John Martyn, Georgicorum libri quatuor‎^[2], 4th edition, Oxford: W. Baxter, page 112:

     La Cerda fancies it to be the Siler montanum, or Sermountain, because he thinks it more elegant for the poet to speak of two which grow in the plains, and two in the rivers […]

   • 1990, Bulletin de la Société entomologique suisse‎^[3], volumes 62-63, Schweizerische Entomologische Gesellschaft, page 304:

     […] though both sermountain species grew abundantly among young Scots pines on the rocky, south-facing slope bordering the road.