spearwort en · NOUN
Etymology
From Middle English sperwort, sperewort, from Old English sperewyrt, i.e. spear + wort.
Meanings
-
(countable, uncountable) Any of various perennial herbaceous plants in the Ranunculus (buttercup) genus.
Nor taint-worm ſhall infect the yeaning herds / Nor penny-graſs, nor ſpearwort's poiſ'nous leaf.
1757, John Dyer, “Book I”, in The Fleece: A Poem […] , London: R. and J. Dodsley, page 40:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| spearworts | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Deriveds
greater spearwort · water spearwort · low spearwort · creeping spearwort · great spearwort · lesser spearwort · water-plantain spearwort · adder's-tongue spearwort