jew's myrtle
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
Butcher's broom is so called, from .the popular notion that it formed the crown of thorns placed by the Jews on the Saviour's head.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “jew's myrtle” mean?
Butcher's broom is so called, from .the popular notion that it formed the crown of thorns placed by the Jews on the Saviour's head.
Is “jew's myrtle” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.