Forms: 4–7 lov(e)ach(e, 6–7 leuish, liuish, 8 loveage, 5– lovage. [ME. loveache, an etymologizing alteration (as if love-ache ‘love-parsley’: see ACHE sb.2) of OF. levesche, luvesche (mod.F. livèche, earlier levesse, whence Du. lavas):—late L. levisticum, whence It. levistico, libistico, various Slavonic and Lithuanian forms, and (with etymologizing perversion) OE. lufestice, OHG. lubestecco, lubistechal (MHG. lübisteche, lubstickel, mod.G. liebstöckel). The late L. levisticum is believed to be a corruption of L. ligusticum (app. denoting the same plant), neut. of ligusticus LIGURIAN; this was adopted by Linnæus as the name of the British genus, while he gave the name Levisticum to the south European genus.] a. The umbelliferous herb Levisticum officinale, a native of southern Europe, grown in old gardens, and used as a domestic remedy. b. A later bookname for the British unbelliferous genus Ligusticum, esp. L. scoticum. c. Formerly also applied to Smyrnium Olusatrum (black lovage), to Laserpitium Siler (bastard or Lombardy lovage), and to Œnanthe crocata (water lovage).

1

a. 1387.  Sinon. Barthol. (Anecd. Oxon.), 11. Apium levisticum, loveache.

2

a. 1400.  Pistill of Susan, 109 (Vernon MS.). Þe lilye, þe louache [Ingilby louage; Cotton louge], launsyng wiþ leue.

3

c. 1420.  Liber Cocorum (1862), 18. Take a handfulle of herb lovache.

4

1548.  Turner, Names of Herbes, 48. Ligusticum … I haue sene it in Italy, but no where els. It maye be called in englishe Lumbardy Louage. Ibid., 75. Smyrnium … maye be called in englishe blacke Louage.

5

1563.  Hyll, Art Garden. (1593), 62. Lumbardie Louage.

6

1573.  Tusser, Husb., xlv. (1878), 97. Necessarie herbes to growe in the garden for Physick…. Louage for the stone.

7

1597.  Gerarde, Herbal, II. ccccvi. 892. Siler montanum officinarum. Bastard Louage.

8

1601.  Holland, Pliny, II. 30. As for Loueach or Liuish, it … loueth alone to grow of it self among the mountains of Liguria.

9

1633.  Johnson, Gerarde’s Herbal (1636), 1060. The roots of this plant … are dayly by the ignorant women in Cheape-side sold … by the name of Water Louage.

10

1751.  Smollett, Per. Pic. (1779), II. xliv. 72. A sauce composed of pepper, lovage, coriander, &c.

11

1806.  A. Hunter, Culina (ed. 3), 147. Lovage and chives, half a handful.

12

  d.  attrib., as lovage-root, -seed.

13

c. 1450.  ME. Med. Bk. (Heinrich), 125. Loueache seed.

14

1502.  Arnolde, Chron. (1811), 171. Drynke noo stronge ale and vse louach see[d] and letews.

15

1876.  trans. von Ziemssen’s Cycl. Med., VI. 169. The vegetable diuretics, such as lovage root.

16