Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun Any of several annual Eurasian plants of the genus Plantago, especially P. ovata or P. afra, having opposite leaves and small flowers borne in dense spikes.
  • noun The seed husks of any of these plants, widely used as a mild bulk laxative and sometimes added to foods as a dietary source of soluble fiber.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun The common name used for several members of the plant genus Plantago whose seeds are used commercially for the production of mucilage.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun plantain of Mediterranean regions whose seeds swell and become gelatinous when moist and are used as a mild laxative

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[New Latin, from Greek psullion, from Greek psulla, flea (from the flealike appearance of the seeds ).]

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Examples

  • Some people allergic to psyllium, which is used in many laxatives.

    Medlogs - Recent stories 2010

  • Some people allergic to psyllium, which is used in many laxatives.

    Medlogs - Recent stories 2010

  • Some people allergic to psyllium, which is used in many laxatives.

    Medlogs - Recent stories 2010

  • Some people allergic to psyllium, which is used in many laxatives.

    Medlogs - Recent stories 2010

  • Another effective alternative is soluble fiber from supplements such as psyllium (Metamucil and its generic cousins), preferably combined with plenty of water.

    Consumer Reports: 2010

  • GF choices, such as psyllium, ground flaxseeds and rice bran, help maintain regularity and confer additional health benefits.

    Ashley Koff: The Gluten-Free Challenge 2009

  • Did you know that instead of today's bowel cleansing solutions such as psyllium husk or laxatives, yogis would take a very long and bulky rope of silk and swallow it until it came out the other end?

    Sutra neti Cliff Pickover 2006

  • Some people may find that bulk-forming supplements, such as psyllium husk powder or Metamucil, help to prevent constipation.

    The Globe and Mail - Home RSS feed Leslie Beck 2010

  • A very gentle, soothing fiber product that contains no harsh, depleting or irritating ingredients such as psyllium or laxatives.

    Wil's Ebay E-Store 2010

  • Some studies suggest that fiber such as psyllium and wheat bran can help lower blood pressure.

    The Composed Gentleman 2009

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