Jamestown weed
- noun
- US
:
hierba de Jamestown
- The field was overrun with Jamestown weed, making the area dangerous for livestock.
Examples
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Early colonists in Virginia suffered after accidentally ingesting Jamestown weed.
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The rank odor of Jamestown weed is often a warning sign to gardeners.
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The Jamestown weed can be harmful to pets.
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Farmers often struggle with Jamestown weeds in their fields.
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Early colonists in Virginia suffered after accidentally ingesting Jamestown weed.
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The field was overrun with Jamestown weed, making the area dangerous for livestock.
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The rank odor of Jamestown weed is often a warning sign to gardeners.
Synonyms
1
9.9
A poisonous tropical plant with spreading stems and spiny fruit that can harm farm animals
A tall yearly weed with strong-smelling leaves and white or purple trumpet flowers that is very poisonous
A tall poisonous plant with bad-smelling leaves, large trumpet-shaped flowers, and spiky fruit
A tall plant with large trumpet-shaped flowers and poisonous leaves and fruits
A tall tropical plant that grows quickly, smells strong, has large trumpet-shaped flowers, and prickly poisonous fruit
Surface Forms
Morphology
Jamestown + weed
The noun 'weed' clearly marks this as a type of plant, and the proper name 'Jamestown' signals it is a named/locative variety, so a learner who knows both words would infer it refers to a particular kind of weed. However, the poisonous/tropical nature and specific botanical features are not predictable from the constituents alone, so the connection is only partial rather than fully transparent.
Etymology
Jamestown weed may get its name from Jamestown, Virginia, where early settlers found the plant and some were harmed after eating it by mistake. The plant's big trumpet flowers, prickly fruits and a very bad smell give a clear picture, so the name shows it is a dangerous, 'poisonous' weed.