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hogweed

American  
[hawg-weed, hog-] / ˈhɔgˌwid, ˈhɒg- /

noun

  1. any coarse weed with composite flower heads, especially the cow parsnip.

  2. giant hogweed.


hogweed British  
/ ˈhɒɡˌwiːd /

noun

  1. any of several coarse weedy umbelliferous plants, esp cow parsnip See also giant hogweed

"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

Etymology

Origin of hogweed

First recorded in 1700–10; hog + weed 1

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

The Ballinderry Rivers Trust said they have identified and have been treating a source of giant hogweed just outside Cookstown.

From BBC Jul. 28, 2026

There are more than 2,500 sites across Northern Ireland, external where giant hogweed has been recorded and confirmed.

From BBC Jul. 28, 2026

Among other new eight-letter words, the kind that help players clear their seven-tile racks for 50 extra points: hogsbane, more commonly known as giant hogweed.

From Seattle Times Nov. 16, 2022

He walked up the heath’s western edge, beside a fringe of scrub where hogweed grew in tangles and brambles rose taller than him.

From The Guardian Mar. 5, 2020

Coming home we alighted from the trap to gather hogweed for the rabbits. 

From The Diary of a Goose Girl by Claude A. Shepperson

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