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• dumb cane
  dumb cane

  noun

  a West Indian foliage plant, Dieffenbachia seguine, of the arum family, having yellow-blotched leaves that cause temporary speechlessness when chewed.
• dumb-cane
  dumb-cane

  noun

  a West Indian aroid plant, Dieffenbachia seguine , chewing the stem of which induces speechlessness by paralysing the throat muscles

dumb cane

American  

noun

1. a West Indian foliage plant, Dieffenbachia seguine, of the arum family, having yellow-blotched leaves that cause temporary speechlessness when chewed.

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dumb-cane British  

noun

1. a West Indian aroid plant, Dieffenbachia seguine , chewing the stem of which induces speechlessness by paralysing the throat muscles

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Etymology

Origin of dumb cane

First recorded in 1690–1700

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

dumb cane

So, it fell to me to tell her the plant earned its common name, dumb cane, from the archaic term for mute.

From Seattle Times ● Feb. 2, 2023