ragweed
/ˈɹæɡˌwid/ noun
Forms ragweeds
- noun A plant of the genus Ambrosia, native to North America and a common invasive species elsewhere, particularly noted for producing pollen that triggers hay fever.
- noun (Ireland, Scotland) Synonym of ragwort.
- noun A summer cypress, mock cypress (Bassia scoparia).
Synonyms
ambrosia ragwort tansy ragwort benweed Senecio jacobaea bitterweed
Etymology
Alteration of earlier ragwort; presumably equivalent to ragged + weed, with "rag" referring to the tattered appearance of the plant's leaves.
Compare Middle English ragwed (“butcher's broom”), of uncertain linguistic relationship.
Webster’s 1913
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “ragweed”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details