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Glite Dictionary
crow corn

crow corn

9.9
A small plant like grass with pale flowers and a bitter root used to treat stomach problems
  • noun
  • Archaic
translation icon : maíz de cuervo
  • Traditional healers would sometimes use the bitter root of crow corn to treat stomach complaints.

Examples

  • The herbalist recommended crow corn for digestive issues.

  • The pale flowers of crow corn bloom in late spring and are easily overlooked among grasses.

  • We spotted several clusters of crow corn growing in the marshy field.

  • Many people believe crow corn can help with colic.

  • Traditional healers would sometimes use the bitter root of crow corn to treat stomach complaints.

  • The herbalist recommended crow corn for digestive issues.

  • Many people believe crow corn can help with colic.

Synonyms

colic root
vscrow corn
  • Archaic
9.9

A small plant with grasslike leaves whose bitter root was used to treat stomach pain

is described as a perennial plant known for traditional remedy use
unicorn root
vscrow corn
  • Archaic
9.9

A plant with long thin leaves and a bitter root used to treat stomach pain

is described by usage in folk remedies, not only by reputation
colicroot
vscrow corn
  • Archaic
9.9

A plant that lives for several years with grasslike leaves and bitter roots that people use to treat stomach pain

is defined by actual traditional use rather than mere belief
star grass
vscrow corn
  • Specialized
7.9

A wildflower with grasslike leaves and small star-shaped flowers

is the Aletris perennial that is noted for folk remedy use

Surface Forms

crow corn singular
crow corns plural

Morphology

crow + corn

This is a lexicalized botanical name whose specific sense (a perennial of the genus Aletris used in folk remedies) cannot be inferred from the literal constituents 'crow' (a bird) and 'corn' (no clear dictionary sense here). Plant names and folk-remedy terms are language- and culture-specific, so a B1 learner who knows the parts would not reliably derive the intended meaning.

Etymology

Crow corn may come from an old farm picture: people saw crows pecking at small seed heads that looked like tiny corn, so they called the plant 'crow corn'. So today crow corn means 'a small, grass-like plant with a bitter root often used in old remedies'.