dumb cane

noun

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

Origin of dumb cane

First recorded in 1690–1700

Also called dumb plant, mother-in-law plant.

Words Nearby dumb cane

dumb barter
dumbbell
Dumbbell nebula
dumb bid
dumb bunny
dumb cane
dumb cluck
dumb Dora
dumb down
dumbfound
dumbfounded

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

British Dictionary definitions for dumb-cane

dumb-cane

noun

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

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Browse