Rarely in 7 amomus. [L. amōmum, a. Gr. ἄμωμον applied to some, perhaps several, oriental spice plants.] An odoriferous plant. The Amomum of the ancients not being certainly identified, the word was used with uncertain denotation by earlier writers; it is now appropriated to a genus of aromatic plants (N.O. Zingiberaceæ) including the species which yield Cardamoms and Grains of Paradise.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., XVII. viii. (1495), 607. Amomum hath that name for it smellyth as Canell dooth: that hyghte Cynamun.
1551. Turner, Herbal (1568), 26. Amomum is a small bushe … Some call it a christenmase rose.
1637. Nabbes, Microcos., in Dodsl. IX. 140. Perfumes, no Persian aromats, Pontic amomus, or Indian balsam Can imitate.
a. 1719. Addison, Dial. Medals, xxiv. (1727), 140. Let Araby extol her happy coast Her Cinnamon and sweet Amomum boast.
1769. Sir J. Hill, Fam. Herbal (1812), 8. The common amomum [Sison Amomum] otherwise called bastard stone parsley.
1855. Singleton, Virgil, I. 21. And prickly brier amomum yield.
