loosestrife

American  

[loos-strahyf] / ˈlusˌstraɪf /

noun

1. any of various plants belonging to the genus Lysimachia, of the primrose family, having clusters of usually yellow flowers, as L. vulgaris garden loosestrife or L. quadrifolia whorled loosestrife.

2. any of several plants belonging to the genus Lythrum, of the loosestrife family.

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loosestrife British  

/ ˈluːsˌstraɪf /

noun

1. any of various primulaceous plants of the genus Lysimachia, esp the yellow-flowered L. vulgaris ( yellow loosestrife ) See also moneywort

2. a purple-flowered lythraceous marsh plant, Lythrum salicaria

3. any of several similar or related plants, such as the primulaceous plant Naumburgia thyrsiflora ( tufted loosestrife )

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Etymology

Origin of loosestrife

1540–50; loose (v.) + strife, mistranslation of Latin lȳsimachīa (< Greek lȳsimáchei ( os ) + -a feminine noun suffix; lysi-, -machy ), plant said to be named after a certain Lysímachos; -ia

Example Sentences

A single occurrence of, say, purple loosestrife, does not an invasion make.

From Science Daily

Purple loosestrife, an invasive flowering plant, is sprouting up - a problem that Rothman said will be resolved by galerucella beetles that were released in the area in the 1990s and that eat purple loosestrife.

From Washington Times

Purple loosestrife, an invasive flowering plant, is sprouting up — a problem that Rothman said will be resolved by galerucella beetles that were released in the area in the 1990s and that eat purple loosestrife.

From Seattle Times

However, every plant depicted, from purple loosestrife to wild roses, is the product of more than three months of painstaking observation as Millais worked on the banks of the Hogsmill River in Surrey.

From Nature

The Montlake Fill became drier land overgrown by blackberries and loosestrife, and was later reclaimed.

From Seattle Times