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Glite Dictionary
butterweed

butterweed

1 8.9
A plant with bright yellow flowers that often grows as a weed in fields
  • noun
  • /ˈbʌtərˌwid/
  • US
: hierba de mantequilla
  • The field was covered in bright butterweed during the spring.

Examples

  • We carefully pulled the butterweed from the garden beds to protect other plants.

  • Farmers often consider butterweed to be a troublesome weed in their pastures.

  • The butterweed bloomed beautifully in the spring.

  • Many gardeners consider butterweed a troublesome plant.

  • Butterweed is often found growing in fields and is easily recognizable by its bright yellow butterweed flowers.

  • The garden had a mix of flowers, but the most striking was the butterweed with its vibrant yellow blooms.

  • Farmers often consider butterweed a weed, as it can quickly spread and overtakes other plants.

Synonyms

ragwort
vsbutterweed
  • UK
1 8.6

A wild plant with yellow daisy-like flowers that is poisonous to farm animals

is similar but does not necessarily imply toxicity to livestock
Senecio glabellus
vsbutterweed
  • Specialized
9.9

Plant with yellow daisy-like flowers that grows in North America

is the common, general name for similar yellow daisy-family weeds

Surface Forms

butterweed singular
butterweeds plural

Morphology

butterweed = butter + weed (transparent) = butter + weed

The compound combines 'butter' (suggesting a yellow colour) and 'weed' (an unwanted plant), so the meaning 'a yellow-flowered weed' is directly inferable.

Etymology

The word butterweed comes from the parts butter and weed, with butter pointing to its bright 'yellow' flowers and weed meaning a 'wild' or 'unwanted' plant. So, butterweed is an easy name for a yellow-flowered plant that people often call a weed.