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.
a poisonous drink made from this plant.
any of various other plants, especially of the genus Cicuta, as the water hemlock.
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.Compare eastern hemlock, western hemlock.
the soft, light wood of a hemlock tree, used in making paper, in the construction of buildings, etc.
Origin of hemlock
before 900;Middle Englishhemlok, humlok,Old Englishhymlic, hemlic; perhaps akin to Old Englishhymele hop plant
an umbelliferous poisonous Eurasian plant, Conium maculatum, having finely divided leaves, spotted stems, and small white flowersUS name: poison hemlock See also water hemlock
a poisonous drug derived from this plant
Also called: hemlock spruceany coniferous tree of the genus Tsuga, of North America and E Asia, having short flat needles: family PinaceaeSee also western hemlock
the wood of any of these trees, used for lumber and as a source of wood pulp
Word Origin for hemlock
Old English hymlic; perhaps related to hymele hop plant, Middle Low German homele, Old Norwegian humli, Old Slavonic chǔmelï
a poisonous plant, Old English (Kentish) hemlic, earlier hymlice, hymblice; of unknown origin. Liberman suggests from root hem- "poison," perhaps with the plant name suffix -ling or -ig. As the name of the poison derived from the plant, c.1600. The North American tree so called from 1776, from resemblance of its leaves to those of the plant.
