Skip to main content
Amanita verna

Amanita verna

9.9
A very poisonous white mushroom that can kill people if eaten
  • noun
  • /əˈmænɪtə ˈvɜrnə/
  • Specialized
: Amanita verna
  • People are strongly warned not to eat Amanita verna because of its deadly toxins.

Examples

  • The Amanita verna is sometimes mistaken for edible mushrooms due to its innocent white appearance.

  • The forager was alarmed to find an Amanita verna growing near the walking trail.

  • The Amanita verna is known for its deadly toxicity.

  • Many people mistake the Amanita verna for edible mushrooms.

  • It is crucial to identify Amanita verna in the wild, as consuming it can be fatal.

  • The highly toxic Amanita verna resembles some edible mushrooms, posing a serious risk to foragers.

  • Many outdoor enthusiasts are unaware that Amanita verna is one of the most poisonous mushrooms in the world.

Synonyms

death angel
vsAmanita verna
1 9.9

A very poisonous white mushroom that can kill you if you eat it

is a single species closely related to another lethal Amanita not the general type
destroying angel
vsAmanita verna
  • Specialized
1 9.9

A very poisonous white mushroom that can kill you if eaten

is a specific species closely related to a famous lethal Amanita species
death cup
vsAmanita verna
  • UK
1 9.9

A very poisonous white mushroom with a cup-shaped base and white gills that can kill if eaten

is the same poisonous species but defined by species identity rather than base shape

Surface Forms

Amanita verna singular
Amanita verna plural

Morphology

Amanita + verna

Amanita verna is a Latin scientific binomial (a proper name for a specific species), so its precise referent and properties are not compositionally derived from the parts. Even if a learner knows that Amanita names a genus of poisonous mushrooms, the specific epithet 'verna' is not transparent at B1 and the species-level meaning (a highly poisonous white 'destroying angel') cannot be inferred from the constituents, making the expression non-compositional for learners.

Etymology

Amanita verna gets its name from older words: Amanita was an old name for certain mushrooms and verna means 'spring' in Latin. So the name helps you picture a white mushroom that shows up in spring and is deadly, which is why people call it the 'destroying angel'.