The story
- Ancient Greek · derived fromχελιδόνιος
- Latin · derived fromchelīdonia
- French · derived fromchélidoine
- Old French · derived fromcelidoine
- Middle English · inherited fromcelidoine
- English todaycelandine
From Middle English celidoine, Old French celidoine, French chélidoine, from Latin chelīdonia, from chelīdonius (“relating to the swallow”), from Ancient Greek χελιδόνιος (khelidónios), χελιδών (khelidṓn). It was traditionally supposed to flower when the swallows appeared, and to perish when they departed.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.