tick-trefoil en · NOUN
Etymology
From tick + trefoil (“three-leaved”). Tick refers to the plant's loments – pods that break apart into segments that each contain one seed – which have small hooked hairs that allow the segments to stick to clothes, hair, or fur, similar to the way a tick clings on with its legs.
Meanings
- One of several species in the genus Desmodium in the legume family
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| tick-trefoils | Number=Plur | lexicographic |