toothwort

[ tooth-wurt, -wawrt ]

noun
  1. a European plant, Lathraea squamaria, of the broomrape family, having a rootstock covered with toothlike scales.

  2. Also called pepperroot. any of several plants belonging to the genus Dentaria, of the mustard family, having toothlike projections upon the creeping rootstock.

Origin of toothwort

1
First recorded in 1590–1600; tooth + wort2

Words Nearby toothwort

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How to use toothwort in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for toothwort

toothwort

/ (ˈtuːθˌwɜːt) /


noun
  1. a parasitic European scrophulariaceous plant, Lathraea squamaria, having no green parts, scaly cream or pink stems, pinkish flowers, and a rhizome covered with toothlike scales

  2. any North American or Eurasian plant of the genus Dentaria, having creeping rhizomes covered with toothlike projections: family Brassicaceae (crucifers): See also crinkleroot

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