Forms: 4–6 eglentine, (6 eggletyne), 7– eglantine. [a. F. églantine (= Pr. aiglentina), f. OF. aiglent of same meaning, prob. repr. Lat. type *aculentus prickly, f. acu-s needle + -lentus suffix, as in viru-lentus, lucu-lentus; cf. aculeus sting, prickle.]
1. The Sweet-briar: also attrib.
c. 1400. Maundev., ii. 14. There he was crouned with Eglantier [v.r. Eglentine].
1551. Turner, Herbal, I. N vj a. The eglentine is much like the common brere but the leues are swete and pleasant to smel to.
1590. Shaks., Mids. N., II. i. 152. Quite ouer-cannoped with … Eglantine.
1688. R. Holme, Armoury, II. 62/2. The Eglantine Rose, is the Sweet brier Rose.
a. 1763. Shenstone, Odes (1765), 122. Nor spare the sweet-leaft eglantine.
1820. Keats, Isabella, xxiv. Ere the hot sun count His dewy rosary on the eglantine.
1882. Miss Braddon, Mt. Royal, II. iv. 82. Hedges filled with honeysuckle and eglantine.
¶ 2. By Milton possibly taken for: The honeysuckle.
1632. Milton, L’Allegro, 48. Through the sweetbriar or the vine, Or the twisted eglantine.
