black henbane
- noun
- /blæk ˈhɛnbeɪn/
- Specialized
:
henbane negro
- The herbalist warned that black henbane is extremely poisonous and should not be ingested.
Examples
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The sticky leaves and unpleasant odor make black henbane easy to identify among wild plants.
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In medieval Europe, black henbane was sometimes used in potions and remedies, despite its risks.
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The black henbane plant can be very dangerous.
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Farmers should avoid planting black henbane near crops.
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The herbalist warned that black henbane is extremely poisonous and should not be ingested.
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In medieval Europe, black henbane was sometimes used in potions and remedies, despite its risks.
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The sticky leaves and unpleasant odor make black henbane easy to identify among wild plants.
Synonyms
1
9.9
A poisonous herb with sticky, hairy leaves and yellowish brown flowers
A poisonous plant also called henbane with sticky, hairy leaves and yellow-brown flowers that can cause hallucinations if eaten
A poisonous plant with a strong bad smell, sticky hairy leaves, and yellow-brown flowers
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly compositional: 'black' (a color) modifies 'henbane' (a toxic herb), so a learner who knows both words can infer this refers to a dark-colored species/variety of henbane. This follows the regular adjective+noun pattern and is neither idiomatic nor metaphorical, making it immediately understandable.
Etymology
Black henbane may come from old farms where the herb sometimes killed chickens. People saw it as hen + bane, because 'bane' means 'something that causes death' and 'black' described its dark look, so the name warns that it is 'poisonous'.