The story
- Afrikaans · calque ofkankerbos
- English todaycancer bush
From cancer (“disease”) + bush, probably a calque of Afrikaans kankerbos. Named after one of its uses in folk medicine.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.
cancer bush
Today it means: A legume native to Southern Africa that grows red flowers and bloated pods, often used in folk medicine; Lessertia frutescens (formerly Sutherlandia frutescens). Full definition →
Afrikaans kankerbos