lesser hemlock

9.9

A plant that looks like parsley and can make you very sick if eaten

noun
/ˈlɛsər ˈhɛmˌlɑk/

: cicuta menor

Ingesting even a small amount of lesser hemlock can lead to symptoms of poisoning.

Examples

The field was scattered with lesser hemlock, which some people easily mistake for wild parsley.
Gardeners should take care to remove lesser hemlock from areas where children or pets play.
The lesser hemlock is often mistaken for parsley.
Many people do not recognize lesser hemlock in the wild.
Gardeners should take care to remove lesser hemlock from areas where children or pets play.
Ingesting even a small amount of lesser hemlock can lead to symptoms of poisoning.
The field was scattered with lesser hemlock, which some people easily mistake for wild parsley.

Synonyms

Aethusa cynapium

vslesser hemlock

Specialized

9.9

A poisonous plant that looks like parsley and makes people sick if eaten

has identical meaning but is the common name rather than the Latin name

fool's parsley

vslesser hemlock

9.9

A poisonous plant that looks like parsley and can make you sick

is the formal or technical name used instead of this colloquial label

Surface Forms

lesser hemlock singular

lesser hemlocks plural

Morphology

lesser + hemlock

The noun phrase follows a transparent compositional pattern: 'lesser' (smaller/lesser in size or significance) + 'hemlock' (a poisonous plant) yields the straightforward interpretation of a smaller or related species of hemlock. A B1 learner who knows both words can infer it refers to a type of hemlock (likely lesser/smaller), though precise botanical identity requires specialist knowledge.

Etymology

Lesser hemlock is named after the older poisonous plant hemlock and looks like a small 'parsley' plant. Because people can easily mistake it for 'parsley' but it can make you sick, the name reminds us that eating it can cause 'nausea' or 'poisoning'.