bedstraw

American

[bed-straw] / ˈbɛdˌstrɔ /

noun

a rubiaceous plant, Galium verum, or some allied species, formerly used as straw for stuffing mattresses.

bedstraw British

/ ˈbɛdˌstrɔː /

noun

any of numerous rubiaceous plants of the genus Galium , which have small white or yellow flowers and prickly or hairy fruits: some species formerly used as straw for beds as they are aromatic when dry See also lady's bedstraw

"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

Etymology

Origin of bedstraw

late Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400; see origin at bed, straw

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

bedstraw

“I come for my mental health,” said Kay Lakey, park steward for Friends of Richmond Beach Saltwater Park, as she cleared blackberry vines and bedstraw Wednesday from a habitat restoration area at the Shoreline park.

From Seattle Times ● Feb. 7, 2024

Another common name, bedstraw, refers to the one-time practice of including the dried herb when stuffing mattresses.

From Seattle Times ● Apr. 29, 2023

No matter that I’m allergic to almost everything: resiny hemlocks, sweet clover, vanilla-scented bedstraw and almondy meadowsweet.

From Washington Post ● Aug. 5, 2022

He said he wanted to bring the two together, which he accomplished by placing lambs’ hearts under burning bedstraw until the hearts collapse into ashes.

From New York Times ● Dec. 6, 2016

“Hollyhock and tansy; madder and bedstraw . . .” But they fell into no comfortable rhythm and did not rhyme.

From "Gathering Blue" by Lois Lowry

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

Get a word

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023