Hĕr'mo-dăc'tyl, n.

n. [N. Lat. hermodactylus, i. e., Mercury's finger; from Gr. Ερμῆς, Mercury, and δάκτυλος, finger, because the bulbs of the root have the shape of fingers; Fr. hermodacte, hermodactyle, Ger. hermodattel.] (Med.) A bulbous root brought from Turkey, formerly in great repute as a cathartic. [Obs.]