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Glite Dictionary
cuckoopint

cuckoopint

9.9
A forest plant with spotted leaves and a small purple flower in spring
  • noun
  • /ˈkʌkəʊpɪnt/
  • UK
translation icon : arum manchado
  • The glossy leaves of cuckoopint appear before most other woodland plants in spring.

Examples

  • The woodland floor was dotted with cuckoopint in early April.

  • Children are warned not to touch the berries of the cuckoopint plant as they are poisonous.

  • The cuckoopint blooms in early spring.

  • Many hikers admire the cuckoopint along the trail.

  • The glossy leaves of cuckoopint appear before most other woodland plants in spring.

  • Children are warned not to touch the berries of the cuckoopint plant as they are poisonous.

  • The woodland floor was dotted with cuckoopint in early April.

Synonyms

Arum maculatum
vscuckoopint
  • Specialized
9.9

A common European woodland plant with arrow-shaped leaves, a small hooded flower, and poisonous red berries

has identical meaning but uses a traditional common name
lords-and-ladies
vscuckoopint
  • UK
9.5

A woodland plant with arrow-shaped leaves, a pale hood, and poisonous red berries that appears in spring

has identical meaning but uses a regional or less common name

Surface Forms

cuckoopint singular
cuckoopints plural

Morphology

cuckoopint = cuckoo + pint (opaque) = cuckoo + pint

Although composed of recognizable words, the plant name's meaning is not derivable from 'cuckoo' + 'pint' for most learners (the element 'pint' is archaic/obscure in this name).

Etymology

Cuckoopint joins the bird name cuckoo with the odd ending pint, because the plant often appears in early 'spring' when cuckoo calls begin. The pint part may come from older words, so a helpful way to remember the name is to imagine the plant's dark, pointed flower spike — that's why cuckoopint means this early woodland plant.