[cen.tau.ry] n, pl -ries [ME centaure, fr. MF centauree, fr. ML centaurea, fr. L centaureum, fr. Gk kentaureion, fr. Kentauros] (14c) 1: any of a genus (Centaurium) of low herbs of the gentian family; esp: an Old World herb (C. umbellatum) formerly used as a tonic
2: an herb (Sabatia angularis) of the eastern U.S. closely related to centaury