butterweed

[ buht-er-weed ]

noun

1. any wild plant having conspicuously yellow flowers or leaves.
2. the horseweed.
3. a ragwort ( Senecio jacobaea ) or groundsel ( S. vulgaris ), both having yellow ray flowers.

Word History and Origins

Origin of butterweed¹

First recorded in 1885–90; butter + weed ¹