noun
Etymology: Middle English develesbite (translation of Medieval Latin morsus diaboli ), from develes (gen. of devel devil) + bite, bitt bit, bite — more at bit
: any of various plants with premorse rootstocks:
a. also devil's bit scabious : scabious 1 ; especially : a common purple or white flowered scabious ( Scabiosa succisa or Succisa pratensis ) that is native to Europe but naturalized in eastern No. America and that yields a blue dye from the leaves — compare woad
b. : any of several New World blazing stars (as Chamaelirium luteum, Liatris spicata, or Aletris farinosa ) — compare button snakeroot , colicroot