crowfoot

American  

[kroh-foot] / ˈkroʊˌfʊt /

noun

plural

crowfoots, crowfeet

1. any plant of the genus Ranunculus, especially one with divided leaves suggestive of a crow's foot; buttercup.

2. any of various other plants with leaves or other parts suggestive of a bird's foot, as certain species of the genus Geranium.

3. caltrop.

4. Nautical. an arrangement of several bridlelike ropes rove through a suspended euphroe to support the backbone of an awning at a number of points.

5. Movies, Television. a three-legged device placed under a tripod to keep the camera from slipping.

6. (on an architectural or engineering drawing) a V -shaped mark the apex of which is a reference point.

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crowfoot British  

/ ˈkrəʊˌfʊt /

noun

1. any of several plants of the genus Ranunculus, such as R. sceleratus and R. aquatilis ( water crowfoot ) that have yellow or white flowers and divided leaves resembling the foot of a crow See also buttercup

2. any of various other plants that have leaves or other parts resembling a bird's foot

3. nautical a bridle-like arrangement of lines rove through a wooden block or attached to a ring for supporting an awning from above

4. military another name for caltrop

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Etymology

Origin of crowfoot

First recorded in 1400–50, crowfoot is from the late Middle English word crowefote. See crow ¹, foot

Example Sentences

Angela has lived and worked on the river for decades and in recent years she has noticed an increase in pollution in the water and a rapid decline in species, like salmon and river crowfoot.

From BBC • Mar. 19, 2022

When Ike turned again, his face told the story: his mouth turned down; his eyes, framed with crowfoot lines, squinted.

From Time Magazine Archive

Close by, under the left bank, a bed of crowfoot trailed downstream, the wheel-like leaves all submerged.

From "Watership Down: A Novel" by Richard Adams

Grass, milfoil, water crowfoot, hornwort, starwort, horsetail, and a dozen other delicate plants, form one tangled forest, denser than those of the Amazon, and more densely peopled likewise.

From Prose Idylls, New and Old by Kingsley, Charles

Dykes filled with water edged the road, and in these were growing rushes, and sedges, and crowfoot, and a few forget-me-nots and other water-loving flowers.

From A Patriotic Schoolgirl by Salmon, Balliol