from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Sage \Sage\, n. [OE. sauge, F. sauge, L. salvia, from salvus
saved, in allusion to its reputed healing virtues. See
{Safe}.] (Bot.)
(a) A suffruticose labiate plant ({Salvia officinalis}) with
grayish green foliage, much used in flavoring meats, etc.
The name is often extended to the whole genus, of which
many species are cultivated for ornament, as the scarlet
sage, and Mexican red and blue sage.
(b) The sagebrush.
[1913 Webster]
{Meadow sage} (Bot.), a blue-flowered species of {Salvia}
({Salvia pratensis}) growing in meadows in Europe.
{Sage cheese}, cheese flavored with sage, and colored green
by the juice of leaves of spinach and other plants which
are added to the milk.
{Sage cock} (Zool.), the male of the sage grouse; in a more
general sense, the specific name of the sage grouse.
{Sage green}, of a dull grayish green color, like the leaves
of garden sage.
{Sage grouse} (Zool.), a very large American grouse
({Centrocercus urophasianus}), native of the dry sagebrush
plains of Western North America. Called also {cock of the
plains}. The male is called {sage cock}, and the female
{sage hen}.
{Sage hare}, or {Sage rabbit} (Zool.), a species of hare
({Lepus Nuttalli} syn. {Lepus artemisia}) which inhabits
the arid regions of Western North America and lives among
sagebrush. By recent writers it is considered to be merely
a variety of the common cottontail, or wood rabbit.
{Sage hen} (Zool.), the female of the sage grouse.
{Sage sparrow} (Zool.), a small sparrow ({Amphispiza Belli},
var. Nevadensis) which inhabits the dry plains of the
Rocky Mountain region, living among sagebrush.
{Sage thrasher} (Zool.), a singing bird ({Oroscoptes
montanus}) which inhabits the sagebrush plains of Western
North America.
{Sage willow} (Bot.), a species of willow ({Salix tristis})
forming a low bush with nearly sessile grayish green
leaves.
[1913 Webster]