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Glite Dictionary
danewort

danewort

9.9
A small European bush with pink flowers and a strong bad smell
  • noun
  • UK
translation icon : sambucus ebulus
  • The hedgerow was dotted with danewort in midsummer, its pink flowers almost hidden by foliage.

Examples

  • We identified the strong smell coming from the danewort growing near the old fence.

  • Some herbalists once believed danewort possessed medicinal properties, despite its nauseous odor.

  • The danewort blooms beautifully in the summer.

  • I found some daneworts growing near the river.

  • The hedgerow was dotted with danewort in midsummer, its pink flowers almost hidden by foliage.

  • We identified the strong smell coming from the danewort growing near the old fence.

  • Some herbalists once believed danewort possessed medicinal properties, despite its nauseous odor.

Synonyms

Sambucus ebulus
vsdanewort
  • UK
9.9

A small European plant with pink flowers and a bad smell

is the dwarf woody shrub form rather than a nonwoody plant
dwarf elder
vsdanewort
  • UK
9.4

A small wild plant with strong-smelling white flowers and black berries used in medicine

focuses on the European dwarf shrub with pink flowers and an unpleasant odor only

Surface Forms

danewort singular
daneworts plural

Morphology

danewort = Dane + wort (semi-transparent) = dane + wort

The elements 'Dane' and 'wort' are formally identifiable (a person/nationality + 'plant'), but the specific species name and the historical reason for 'Dane' are obscure, so learners cannot derive the precise meaning from the parts alone.

Etymology

Danewort is made of dane and wort, and wort means 'plant', as in St John's-wort. One idea is that dane links the plant to the Dane people or to an old idea of 'harm', so the name gives a picture of a smelly, possibly harmful plant and helps explain its strong, unpleasant odor.