■ noun
1》 a highly poisonous plant of the parsley family, with fern-like leaves, small white flowers, and an unpleasant smell. [ Conium maculatum .]
↘a sedative or poisonous potion obtained from ~.
2》 (also ~ fir or spruce ) a North American conifer with dark green foliage which is said to smell like ~ when crushed. [Genus Tsuga : several species.]
Origin
OE hymlice , hemlic , of unknown origin.