pokeweed

[ pohk-weed ]
/ ˈpoʊkˌwid /

noun

a tall herb, Phytolacca americana, of North America, having juicy purple berries and a purple root used in medicine, and young edible shoots resembling asparagus.
Also called poke·root [pohk-root, -roo t] /ˈpoʊkˌrut, -ˌrʊt/, scoke, garget.

Origin of pokeweed

An Americanism dating back to 1745–55; poke4 + weed1

Example sentences from the Web for pokeweed

British Dictionary definitions for pokeweed

pokeweed

pokeberry or pokeroot

/ (ˈpəʊkˌwiːd) /

noun

a tall North American plant, Phytolacca americana, that has small white flowers, juicy purple berries, and a poisonous purple root used medicinally: family Phytolaccaceae Sometimes shortened to: poke Also called: inkberry

Word Origin for pokeweed

C18 poke, shortened from Algonquian puccoon plant used in dyeing, from pak blood