cowbane

[ kou-beyn ]

noun

1. any of several poisonous plants of the parsley family, as Oxypolis rigidior, of swampy areas of North America, or the water hemlock, Cicuta maculata.

cowbane

/ ˈkaʊˌbeɪn /

noun

1. Also calledwater hemlock any of several N temperate poisonous umbelliferous marsh plants of the genus Cicuta, esp C. virosa, having clusters of small white flowers
2. a similar and related plant, Oxypolis rigidior of the southeastern and central US
3. any umbelliferous plant reputed to be poisonous to cattle

Word History and Origins

Origin of cowbane¹

First recorded in 1770–80; cow ¹ + bane