n.
Pronunciation: m ə - ' zir- ē - ə n
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English mizerion, from Medieval Latin mezereon, from Arabic m ā zariy ū n, perhaps from Persian m ā zary ū n
Date: 15th century
: a small Eurasian shrub ( Daphne mezereum of the family Thymelaeaceae, the mezereon family) with purple flowers and poisonous emetic leaves, fruit, and bark