Dictionary

swallow-wort en · NOUN

Etymology

From swallow + wort, because the plant's parts were traditionally fancied as resembling a swallow's tail. Compare celandine.

Meanings

1. (countable, uncountable) A plant of any of several species of plants whose parts are traditionally fancied as resembling a swallow's tail: ▸ The plants of the genus Vincetoxicum, especially Vincetoxicum nigrum (syn. Cynanchum nigrum, black swallow-wort) or (Vincetoxicum hirundinaria (syn. Cynanchum vincetoxicum, white swallowwort).
2. (countable, uncountable) A plant of any of several species of plants whose parts are traditionally fancied as resembling a swallow's tail: ▸ The plants of the genus Cynanchum.
3. (countable, uncountable) A plant of any of several species of plants whose parts are traditionally fancied as resembling a swallow's tail: ▸ Chelidonium majus (greater celandine).
4. (countable, uncountable) A plant of any of several species of plants whose parts are traditionally fancied as resembling a swallow's tail: ▸ Pattalias palustris (syn. Seutera angustifolia, Gulf Coast swallow wort).
5. (countable, uncountable) A plant of any of several species of plants whose parts are traditionally fancied as resembling a swallow's tail: ▸ In genus Asclepias (milkweed): ▸ orange swallow-wort (Asclepias tuberosa)
6. (countable, uncountable) A plant of any of several species of plants whose parts are traditionally fancied as resembling a swallow's tail: ▸ In genus Asclepias (milkweed): ▸ silky swallow-wort (Asclepias syriaca
7. (countable, uncountable) A plant of any of several species of plants whose parts are traditionally fancied as resembling a swallow's tail: ▸ Calotropis spp. (giant milkweed).
   • Among the Kunbis of the Central Provinces of India a bachelor who marries a widow must first be married to an ākra or swallow-wort (Calotropis gigantea), a very common plant with mauve or purple flowers, which grows on waste land. 1918, James George Frazer, Folk-Lore In The Old Testament, volume 1, page 527:
8. (countable, uncountable) A plant of any of several species of plants whose parts are traditionally fancied as resembling a swallow's tail: ▸ Euphorbia maculata (spotted spurge).

Forms

Deriveds

bearded swallow-wort · white swallow-wort · Gulf Coast swallow-wort · silky swallow-wort · leafless swallow-wort · pale swallow-wort · black swallow-wort · African swallow-wort · orange swallow-wort

Relateds

sparrowwort

Translations (5)

kk мизамшөп (a plant of the genus Vincetoxium) · grc ἀσκληπιάς (a plant of the genus Vincetoxium) · cmn 白前 (a plant of the genus Vincetoxium) · kk түйешырмауық (a plant of the genus Vincetoxium) · ja 鴎蔓 (a plant of the genus Vincetoxium)