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Glite Dictionary
poison dogwood

poison dogwood

9.9
A North American swamp shrub with greenish flowers and poisonous berries and oily parts that cause skin irritation
  • noun
  • /ˈpɔɪzən ˈdɔɡˌwʊd/
  • US
translation icon : cornejo venenoso
  • Hikers are warned to avoid poison dogwood, as its oil can cause severe skin irritation.

Examples

  • Botanists often confuse poison dogwood with other swamp shrubs due to their similar appearance.

  • The poison dogwood can be found near swamps.

  • The berries of poison dogwood look attractive but are highly toxic if ingested.

  • Many hikers are unaware of the poison dogwood in the area.

  • Hikers are warned to avoid poison dogwood, as its oil can cause severe skin irritation.

  • The berries of poison dogwood look attractive but are highly toxic if ingested.

  • Botanists often confuse poison dogwood with other swamp shrubs due to their similar appearance.

Synonyms

poison sumac
vspoison dogwood
  • US
1 8.4

A North American shrub or small tree with white berries and an oil that causes a skin rash

is a less common alternative name used in some regions
Toxicodendron vernix
vspoison dogwood
  • Specialized
9.9

A swamp bush with smooth branches and pale berries whose oil causes a skin rash

is the common alternative name used instead of the scientific form
Rhus vernix
vspoison dogwood
  • Specialized
9.9

A shrub also called poison sumac that grows in swamps and makes an oil causing itchy skin rashes

is the common alternative name rather than the Latin botanical name
poison ash
vspoison dogwood
  • US
9.9

A North American swamp shrub with divided leaves and greenish-white berries that produces oil causing skin rashes

is the different traditional common name rather than this alternate label

How Toxic

poison dogwood
  • US
9.9
irritant
15 6.0

Surface Forms

poison dogwood singular
poison dogwoods plural

Morphology

poison + dogwood

The meaning 'a dogwood that is poisonous / yields an irritating oil' is directly and compositionally built from 'poison' modifying 'dogwood' as an attributive noun, so the overall referent is predictable. This straightforward noun‑compound pattern is cross‑linguistically common, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents will readily infer the MWE's meaning.

Etymology

Poison dogwood gets its name from the plant itself: this swamp shrub makes an oil that can hurt the skin and its berries are poisonous, so people added poison to the common name dogwood as a warning. That's why the name means 'dangerous' or 'poisonous'.