hemlock

American  

[hem-lok] / ˈhɛmˌlɒk /

noun

1. a poisonous plant, Conium maculatum, of the parsley family, having purple-spotted stems, finely divided leaves, and umbels of small white flowers, used medicinally as a powerful sedative.

2. a poisonous drink made from this plant.

3. any of various other plants, especially of the genus Cicuta, as the water hemlock.

4. Also called hemlock spruce.  any of several coniferous trees of the genus Tsuga, native to the U.S., characterized by a pyramidal manner of growth.

5. the soft, light wood of a hemlock tree, used in making paper, in the construction of buildings, etc.

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hemlock British  

/ ˈhɛmˌlɒk /

noun

1. US name: poison hemlock.  an umbelliferous poisonous Eurasian plant, Conium maculatum, having finely divided leaves, spotted stems, and small white flowers See also water hemlock

2. a poisonous drug derived from this plant

3. Also called: hemlock spruce.  any coniferous tree of the genus Tsuga, of North America and E Asia, having short flat needles: family Pinaceae See also western hemlock

4. the wood of any of these trees, used for lumber and as a source of wood pulp

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Etymology

Origin of hemlock

before 900; Middle English hemlok, humlok, Old English hymlic, hemlic; perhaps akin to Old English hymele hop plant

Explanation

Hemlock is a famously poisonous plant that resembles a flowering fern. No matter how hungry you are when you're lost in the woods, you should never eat hemlock. There are actually several toxic varieties of hemlock (as well as the harmless North American hemlock tree), but the most infamous is known by the genus name Conium. This hemlock causes death by slowly paralyzing the body, eventually including the respiratory system, while the poisoned person's mind remains alert. The Greek philosopher Socrates was found guilty of heresy in 399 BCE and sentenced to drink hemlock-based poison.

Example Sentences

“I wanted our house to feel really warm and bring nature inside,” says Lindsay, referring to the Western hemlock tongue and groove planks that she and Daniel installed on the walls and ceilings.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 22, 2025

Rahel Stampfer, a county spokesperson, said “poison hemlock has spread along roads and railroad tracks for many years and has been present in parks for decades.”

From Seattle Times • Jun. 7, 2024

While the pest prefers leafy hardwoods, like oaks, Salp said she’s seen them feed on conifers — the category that includes iconic Northwest species like the Douglas fir and western hemlock.

From Seattle Times • May 9, 2024

Hiking through the Wishbone area last summer, advocates noted cedar, hemlock, maple, cottonwood and alder trees, as well as huckleberries, gooseberries and devil’s club plants.

From Seattle Times • Apr. 2, 2024

In the first moments after they had recognized the poor creature under the hemlock, Hazel and Dandelion felt completely stupefied, as though they had come upon a squirrel underground or a stream that flowed uphill.

From "Watership Down: A Novel" by Richard Adams