castor bean

American  

noun

1. the seed of the castor-oil plant.

2. castor-oil plant.

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castor bean British  

noun

1. another name for castor-oil plant

2. the seed of this plant

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Other Word Forms

• castor-bean adjective

Etymology

Origin of castor bean

1810–20, short for castor-oil bean

Example Sentences

The invasive species they brought — like black mustard, tree tobacco and castor bean — slowly crept into the ecosystem.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 14, 2024

The researchers looked at a species of tick called the castor bean tick, which is common across Europe.

From Seattle Times • Jul. 1, 2023

The pollen grains of various common plants like sunflower, morning glories, prairie hollyhock, oriental lily, evening primrose and castor bean — magnified 500 times and colorized in this image — display intricate patterns.

From Salon • Sep. 23, 2022

As an example, she points to the black-legged tick and the castor bean tick Ixodes ricinus, both of which spread Lyme disease.

From Scientific American • Feb. 25, 2022

If you will read the literature you will find that it is referred to as a cathartic, resembling in this respect the castor bean.

From Northern Nut Growers Association Report of the Proceedings at the Eleventh Annual Meeting Washington, D. C. October 7 and 8, 1920 by Northern Nut Growers Association