/al'ig zan"deuhrz, -zahn"-/ , n. , pl. alexanders . ( used with a sing. or pl. v. )
1. a tall plant, Angelica atropurpurea, of the parsley family, having broad clusters of small white flowers.
2. a related plant, Smyrnium olusatrum, having yellowish flowers.
[ prob. alexandre ( s ); cf. ME alisaundre ( alexandre petroselinum ) Alexandrinum a name for Smyrnium olusatrum, and synonymous with ML petroselinum Macedonicum, appar. through assoc. of Macedonia with Alexander the Great; cf. PARSLEY ]