Sca"bi*ous (?), a. [L. scabious, from scabies the scab: cf. F. scabieux.]
Consisting of scabs; rough; itchy; leprous; as, scabious eruptions.
Arbuthnot.
© Webster 1913.
Sca"bi*ous, n. [Cf. F. scabieuse. See Scabious, a.] Bot.
Any plant of the genus Scabiosa, several of the species of which are common in Europe. They resemble the Compositae, and have similar heads of flowers, but the anthers are not connected.
Sweet scabious (a) Mourning bride. (b) A daisylike plant (Erigeron annuus) having a stout branching stem.
© Webster 1913.