polecat weed
- noun
- UK
:
cabbage de zorrillo
- The polecat weed thrives in soggy, shaded areas and is easy to identify by its mottled spathe.
Examples
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Many hikers complain about the pungent odor of the polecat weed in the wetlands each spring.
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Researchers studied the unique pollination methods of polecat weed in eastern North American swamps.
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The polecat weed emits a strong odor.
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Why does the polecat weed smell so bad?
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In the wetlands, the polecat weed releases a strong, unpleasant smell that hikers notice every spring.
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During their field study, scientists examined how polecat weed attracts certain insects with its fetid scent.
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The low-growing polecat weed can often be found in marshy areas, distinguished by its unique greenish spathe.
Synonyms
1
8.9
A low plant with a strong bad smell that grows in wet places
A low-growing swamp plant from eastern North America with a strong bad smell and tiny flowers
A low swamp plant with a strong bad smell and a small flower inside a green or purple cover
Surface Forms
Morphology
The noun-noun compound is directly compositional: 'polecat' (a mammal known for a fetid smell) + 'weed' (a wild plant) yields the obvious sense of a plant with a strong, unpleasant odor. While the precise botanical details in the full definition (e.g., spathe, minute flowers) are not predictable, a B1 learner who knows both constituents will readily infer it denotes a smelly plant.
Etymology
Polecat weed got its name from the strong 'bad smell' of its tiny flowers, which reminded people of a polecat, an animal often called a 'skunk'. That's why the name now refers to this smelly swamp weed.