anise

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
anise /ˈanɪs/

▶noun

• 1 a Mediterranean plant of the parsley family, cultivated for its aromatic seeds (aniseed). [Pimpinella anisum.]

• 2 used in names of Asian or American trees or shrubs bearing fruit with an aniseed-like odour, e.g. star anise. [Genus Illicium.]

– origin ME: via OFr. from L. anisum, from Gk anison ‘anise, dill’.