death camass


noun
  1. any of several North American plants belonging to the genus Zigadenus, of the lily family, having narrow leaves and clusters of flowers.

  2. the root of any of these plants, poisonous to sheep and other animals.

Origin of death camass

1
An Americanism dating back to 1885–90

Words Nearby death camass

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use death camass in a sentence

  • They were cooked elaborately in pits, care being taken to avoid the poisonous bulbs of the death camass, which resemble them.