ferula

/ˈfɛrələ/
noun
  1. A flat ruler or stick used in the past to hit children as a punishment in school.
    • In old schools, a ferula was used to strike students' palms.
    • The teacher kept a ferula on his desk for discipline.
    • The museum displayed a wooden ferula from the 19th century.
  2. A tall plant of the genus Ferula, especially the giant fennel, with thick stems and yellow flowers.
    • Hikers spotted a ferula blooming along the Mediterranean trail.
    • Ancient Greeks used the hollow stem of a ferula to carry fire.
    • The ferula plant can grow over ten feet tall in dry climates.
Synonyms