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wood sorrel

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noun
  1. any of numerous plants of the genus Oxalis, especially O. acetosella, of Eurasia, having heart-shaped, trifoliolate leaves and white, pink-veined flowers.

Origin of wood sorrel

1515–25; translation of French sorrel de bois; replacing woodsour, so called from sour taste of the leaves
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for wood sorrel

Historical Examples

  • Silvia, for the wood-sorrel, will I hope be an acceptable change to my girl-readers.

    Proserpina, Volume 1

    John Ruskin

  • Three species of wild oxalis, or wood-sorrel, should not be overlooked.

  • What could be more unassuming than goldthread and wood-sorrel?

    In the Open

    Stanton Davis Kirkham

  • Now this flower which I have just plucked is the wood-sorrel.

    The Swan and Her Crew

    George Christopher Davies

  • The flowers of all the species of Oxalis, the Wood-sorrel, are very pretty.

British Dictionary definitions for wood sorrel

wood sorrel

noun
  1. a Eurasian plant, Oxalis acetosella, having trifoliate leaves, an underground creeping stem, and white purple-veined flowers: family Oxalidaceae
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012