/jen"sheuhn/ , n.
1. any of several plants of the genera Gentiana, Gentianella, and Gentianopsis, having usually blue, or sometimes yellow, white, or red, flowers, as the fringed gentian of North America, or Gentiana lutea, of Europe. Cf. gentian family .
2. any of various plants resembling the gentian.
3. the root of G. lutea, or a preparation of it, used as a tonic.
[ 1350-1400; ME gencian gentiana; said to be named after Gentius, an Illyrian king ]