Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Samphire \Sam"phire\ (? or ?; 277), n. [F. l'herbe de Saint
   Pierre. See {Saint}, and {Petrel}.] (Bot.)
   (a) A fleshy, suffrutescent, umbelliferous European plant
       ({Crithmum maritimum}). It grows among rocks and on
       cliffs along the seacoast, and is used for pickles.

             Hangs one that gathers samphire, dreadful trade!
                                                  --Shak.
   (b) The species of glasswort ({Salicornia herbacea}); --
       called in England {marsh samphire}.
   (c) A seashore shrub ({Borrichia arborescens}) of the West
       Indies.

   {Golden samphire}. See under {Golden}.

Source : WordNet®

samphire
     n : fleshy maritime plant having fleshy stems with rudimentary
         scalelike leaves and small spikes of minute flowers;
         formerly used in making glass [syn: {glasswort}, {Salicornia
         europaea}]