spurge en · NOUN · etymology 1
Pronunciation
Etymology
Etymology tree Old French espurgebor. Middle English spurge English spurge Inherited from Middle English spurge, from Old French espurge, from espurgier (“to purge”), from Latin expurgo (“to purge”); the bitter milky sap of these plants was formerly used as a purgative.
Meanings
-
(uncountable, usually) Any plant of the genus Euphorbia, a diverse genus of over 2,000 species.
But cockle, spurge, according to their law / Might propagate their kind, with none to awe, / You'd think; a burr had been a treasure trove.
1855, Robert Browning, Childe Roland to the Dark Tower Came, section X:A compound of spurge, cardamom, cinnamon of Mecca, pellitory, ginger, nettle seed is an Arab specific for sexual weakness.
1961, Harry E. Wedeck, Dictionary of Aphrodisiacs, New York: The Citadel Press, page 228:
- (uncountable, usually) Any plant of the spurge family, Euphorbiaceae.
- (uncountable, usually) A plant resembling those in genus Euphorbia in some aspect of its appearance.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| spurges | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Deriveds
spurge nettle · Peking spurge · coast spurge · spurge hawk-moth · cushion spurge · leafy spurge · Allegheny spurge · paper spurge · stubble spurge · ipecac spurge · Japanese spurge · Hall's shrubby spurge) · prairie spurge · shore spurge · sawtooth spurge · painted spurge · Indian spurge tree · red spurge Euphorbia cotinifolia) · Indian tree spurge · spurge flax · flowering spurge · petty spurge · oblong spurge · sun spurge · myrtle spurge · mottled spurge · dwarf spurge · spotted spurge · eggleaf spurge · nettlespurge · tree spurge · wart spurge · variegated spurge · pill-bearing spurge · knotweed spurge · silver spurge · resin spurge · spurgewort · white-margined spurge · wild spurge · green spurge · spurge daphne · serrated spurge · cliff spurge · prostrate spurge · balsam spurge · tramp's spurge · Mediterranean spurge · graveyard spurge · cypress spurge · upright myrtle spurge · gopher spurge · purple spurge · toothed spurge · leaf spurge · sand spurge · slipper spurge · Griffith's spurge · sea spurge · broom spurge · creeping spurge · Balkan spurge · caper spurge · Allegheny mountain spurge · seaside spurge · glade spurge · hairy spurge · wood spurge · spurge olive · Gregersen's spurge · spurge laurel
Hypernyms
angiosperm · rosid · eudicot · tracheophyte · malvid · plant · fabid
Hyponyms
tree spurge · Indian spurge tree · Mediterranean spurge · upright myrtle spurge · leafless milk hedge · Indian tree spurge · asthma-plant · variegated spurge · painted leaf · green spurge · crown of thorns · white-margined sandmat · myrtle spurge · baseball plant · Christ plant · spotted spurge · poinsettia · frilled fan · paper spurge · sun spurge · sawtooth spurge · African milk tree · red spurge · coast spurge · painted euphorbia · painted spurge · sea spurge · pencil tree · devil's backbone · African milk barrel · smoke-on-the-prairie · purple spurge · cushion spurge · candelilla · snow-on-the-mountain · elkhorn · leafy milk hedge · wild poinsettia · mottled spurge · redbird cactus · cypress spurge · white-margined spurge · candelabra tree · dwarf poinsettia · petty spurge · creeping spurge · Griffith's spurge · purple spurge · Mexican fireplant · fire-on-the-mountain · milk bush · Peking spurge · rattlesnake weed · cathedral cactus · resin spurge · gopher spurge · leafy spurge · caper spurge · wood spurge · glade spurge · cliff spurge · Medusa's head · scarlet plume · prostrate spurge · Madagascar jewel · Gregersen's spurge · serrated spurge · sand spurge
Synonyms
Translations (51)
grc τιθύμαλλος (any plant of the genus Euphorbia) · sv törel (any plant of the genus Euphorbia) · ga bainne caoin (any plant of the genus Euphorbia) · hu kutyatej (any plant of the genus Euphorbia) · sw mkweche (any plant of the genus Euphorbia) · ga spuirse (any plant of the genus Euphorbia) · ca lleteresa (any plant of the genus Euphorbia) · tr sütleğen (any plant of the genus Euphorbia) · pt eufórbio (any plant of the genus Euphorbia) · cmn 大戟 (any plant of the genus Euphorbia) · ja ユーフォルビア (any plant of the genus Euphorbia) · ga buí na mbáb (any plant of the genus Euphorbia) · ro alior (any plant of the genus Euphorbia) · sva მჷლჷჯო̄ლ (any plant of the genus Euphorbia) · pl wilczomlecz (any plant of the genus Euphorbia) · gd spuirse (any plant of the genus Euphorbia) · fi tyräkki (any plant of the genus Euphorbia) · ru молоча́й (any plant of the genus Euphorbia) · ro aior (any plant of the genus Euphorbia) · fr épurge (any plant of the genus Euphorbia) · fa شبرم (any plant of the genus Euphorbia) · hy իշակաթնուկ (any plant of the genus Euphorbia) · dsb wjelceńc (any plant of the genus Euphorbia) · rsk млєчнїк (any plant of the genus Euphorbia) · nl wolfsmelk (any plant of the genus Euphorbia) · hsb mlóčeń (any plant of the genus Euphorbia) · bg млечка (any plant of the genus Euphorbia) · mk млечајка (any plant of the genus Euphorbia) · ca lletera (any plant of the genus Euphorbia) · ga buí na n-iníon (any plant of the genus Euphorbia) · ta கள்ளி (any plant of the genus Euphorbia) · xh intsema (any plant of the genus Euphorbia) · lzz მჟაილა (any plant of the genus Euphorbia) · es lechetrezna (any plant of the genus Euphorbia) · da vortemælk (any plant of the genus Euphorbia) · ja 灯台草 (any plant of the genus Euphorbia) · xmf მაბჟალია (any plant of the genus Euphorbia) · alt сӱт ӧлӧҥ (any plant of the genus Euphorbia) · mk млечка (any plant of the genus Euphorbia) · sh mlječika (any plant of the genus Euphorbia) · xh umhlontlo (any plant of the genus Euphorbia) · enm spurge (any plant of the genus Euphorbia) · gl surbia (any plant of the genus Euphorbia) · ka რძიანა (any plant of the genus Euphorbia) · it euforbia (any plant of the genus Euphorbia) · tr Japon kaktüsü (any plant of the genus Euphorbia) · fr euphorbe (any plant of the genus Euphorbia) · bbl მათხეჼ (any plant of the genus Euphorbia) · es euforbio (any plant of the genus Euphorbia) · de Wolfsmilch (any plant of the genus Euphorbia) · cy llaethlys (any plant of the genus Euphorbia)