groundsel

1
[ ground-suh l ]
/ ˈgraʊnd səl /

noun

any composite plant of the genus Senecio, especially S. vulgaris, a common weed having clusters of small yellow disk flowers without rays.

Origin of groundsel

1
before 900; Middle English grundeswili(e), groundeswel, Old English grundeswelge, gundeswelge; compare Old English gund pus, swelgan to swallow, absorb (from its use in medicine); the -r- is by folk etymology from association with ground1

Words nearby groundsel

groundmass, groundnut, groundnut oil, groundout, groundplot, groundsel, groundsel tree, groundshare, groundsheet, groundside, groundsill

Definition for groundsel (2 of 2)

groundsel 2
[ ground-suh l ]
/ ˈgraʊnd səl /

noun

groundsill.

Example sentences from the Web for groundsel

British Dictionary definitions for groundsel

groundsel
/ (ˈɡraʊnsəl) /

noun

any of certain plants of the genus Senecio, esp S. vulgaris, a Eurasian weed with heads of small yellow flowers: family Asteraceae (composites) See also ragwort
groundsel tree a shrub, Baccharis halimifolia, of E North America, with white plumelike fruits: family Asteraceae

Word Origin for groundsel

Old English grundeswelge, changed from gundeswilge, from gund pus + swelgan to swallow; after its use in poultices on abscesses