/sen"taw ree/ , n. , pl. centauries .
1. any of various plants belonging to the genus Centaurium, of the gentian family, having clusters of small pink or red flowers.
2. any of several other plants of the genera Centaurea and Sabatia.
[ bef. 1000; ME, OE centaurie centauria, appar. kentaúria, neut. pl. (taken in ML as fem. sing.) of kentaúrion, n. use of neut. of kentaúrios (adj.), equiv. to kéntaur ( os ) centaur + -ios adj. suffix; said to be in reference to the centaur Chiron, known for his knowledge of medicinal plants ]