Dictionary

tumbleweed en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ˈtʌmbəlˌwid/ (General-American)
• (US) audio
• /ˈtʌmbəlwiːd/ (Received-Pronunciation)

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Germanic *tūmōną Proto-West Germanic *tumbōn Old English tumbiander. Middle English tumben Middle English tumblen English tumble Proto-West Germanic *weud Old English wēod Middle English weed English weed English tumbleweed From tumble + weed.

Meanings

1. (countable, uncountable) Any plant which habitually breaks away from its roots once dry, forming a light, rolling mass which is driven by the wind from place to place; as Russian thistle, wild indigo, witch grass, Amaranthus albus, etc.
2. (attributive, countable, uncountable) Describing unwanted silence and inactivity. Often used of a situation when one makes a statement that is ignored or ill-received by one's audience, as the resultant silence is likened to that of a desolate desert with rolling tumbleweeds.
   • “Why do families argue?” may only induce the tumbleweed response. (Could you answer that question out of the blue?) 2005, Trevor Wright, How to Be a Brilliant English Teacher, →ISBN, page 68:
   • Putting an ad in the local paper that Spock's Beard and Arena are in town will get you a tumbleweed response and some wasted revenue. 2000 January 21, Plsntgrn, “Re: SOAR Budget (A Long Guestimate)”, in alt.music.progressive:
3. (countable, uncountable) A tan colour, like that of a tumbleweed.

Forms

Deriveds

Palestinian tumbleweed · tumbleweed moment · Russian tumbleweed · monster tumbleweed

Relateds

tumble thistle

Synonyms

wind-witch · steppe-witch · roly-poly

Translations (49)

ja タンブルウィード (plant which breaks loose and is driven by the wind) · is veltiviður (plant which breaks loose and is driven by the wind) · cmn 飛蓬 /飞蓬 (plant which breaks loose and is driven by the wind) · es estepicursor (plant which breaks loose and is driven by the wind) · xal барванцг (plant which breaks loose and is driven by the wind) · az süprüm (plant which breaks loose and is driven by the wind) · da vindheks (plant which breaks loose and is driven by the wind) · es planta rodadora (plant which breaks loose and is driven by the wind) · es estepicursora (plant which breaks loose and is driven by the wind) · yue 風滾草 /风滚草 (plant which breaks loose and is driven by the wind) · be перакаці́-по́ле (plant which breaks loose and is driven by the wind) · pl biegacz (plant which breaks loose and is driven by the wind) · fi arokierijä (plant which breaks loose and is driven by the wind) · de Steppenläufer (plant which breaks loose and is driven by the wind) · myv тувомарч (plant which breaks loose and is driven by the wind) · ba ҡамғаҡ (plant which breaks loose and is driven by the wind) · de Bodenroller (plant which breaks loose and is driven by the wind) · uk перекоти́по́ле (plant which breaks loose and is driven by the wind) · fr virevoltant (plant which breaks loose and is driven by the wind) · ga tom rothlaim (plant which breaks loose and is driven by the wind) · nb markløper (plant which breaks loose and is driven by the wind) · nog камбак (plant which breaks loose and is driven by the wind) · fi maakieriäinen (plant which breaks loose and is driven by the wind) · fi aavikkokierijä (plant which breaks loose and is driven by the wind) · it rotolacampo (plant which breaks loose and is driven by the wind) · sv stäpplöpare (plant which breaks loose and is driven by the wind) · nl stepperoller (plant which breaks loose and is driven by the wind) · nv tłʼohdeii naayizí (plant which breaks loose and is driven by the wind) · ko 회전초 (plant which breaks loose and is driven by the wind) · pt bola de feno (plant which breaks loose and is driven by the wind) · kum къаммакъ (plant which breaks loose and is driven by the wind) · mk ветрога́н (plant which breaks loose and is driven by the wind) · ka ბურბურა (plant which breaks loose and is driven by the wind) · ar حَشِيشَة مُتَدَحْرِجَة (plant which breaks loose and is driven by the wind) · alt каҥмыл (plant which breaks loose and is driven by the wind) · nv chʼil awoshí (plant which breaks loose and is driven by the wind) · nv chʼil deenínii (plant which breaks loose and is driven by the wind) · ca estepicursor (plant which breaks loose and is driven by the wind) · de Steppenroller (plant which breaks loose and is driven by the wind) · pt salsola (plant which breaks loose and is driven by the wind) · hu ördögszekér (plant which breaks loose and is driven by the wind) · ru перекати́-по́ле (plant which breaks loose and is driven by the wind) · eo rultigaro (plant which breaks loose and is driven by the wind) · cy chwyn treigl (plant which breaks loose and is driven by the wind) · sv marklöpare (plant which breaks loose and is driven by the wind) · de Bodenläufer (plant which breaks loose and is driven by the wind) · nl tuimelkruid (plant which breaks loose and is driven by the wind) · lt druskė (plant which breaks loose and is driven by the wind) · cmn 風滾草 /风滚草 (plant which breaks loose and is driven by the wind)