centaury

The story

1. Ancient Greek · derived fromκενταύρειον“several plants related to Centaurea”
2. Latin · derived fromcentaurēum
3. Medieval Latin · derived fromcentaurēa
4. Old English · inherited fromcentaurie
5. Middle English · inherited fromcentaure
6. English todaycentaury

From Middle English centaure, from Old English centaurie, from Medieval Latin centaurēa, centauria, from Latin centaurēum, centaurion, from Ancient Greek κενταύρειον (kentaúreion, “several plants related to Centaurea”), from κένταυρος (kéntauros, “centaur”) (due to the mythological discovery of its medicinal properties by Chiron the Centaur). Doublet of centaurea.