joe-pye weed

[ joh-pahy ]

noun
  1. Also called purple boneset. a tall composite weed, Eupatorium purpureum, of North America, having clusters of pinkish or purple flowers.

  2. Also called spotted joe-pye weed. a related plant, E. maculatum, having similar flowers and stems that are often spotted with purple.

Origin of joe-pye weed

1
An Americanism dating back to 1810–20; origin uncertain

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use joe-pye weed in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for joe-pye weed

joe-pye weed

/ (ˈdʒəʊˈpaɪ) /


noun
  1. US and Canadian any of several North American plants of the genus Eupatorium, esp E. purpureum, having pale purplish clusters of flower heads lacking rays: family Asteraceae (composites)

Origin of joe-pye weed

1
C19: of unknown origin

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012