monkshood

American  

[muhngks-hood] / ˈmʌŋksˌhʊd /

noun

1. a plant belonging to the genus Aconitum, of the buttercup family, especially A. napellus, the flowers of which have a large, hood-shaped sepal.

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monkshood British  

/ ˈmʌŋkshʊd /

noun

1. any of several poisonous N temperate plants of the ranunculaceous genus Aconitum, esp A. napellus, that have hooded blue-purple flowers

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Etymology

Origin of monkshood

1570–80; monk + 's 1 + hood ¹

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

monkshood

The Pluskal Group, including Mutabdžija, was studying the same difficult family of diterpenoid alkaloids in wolfsbane, a famously poisonous relative of larkspur that is also known as monkshood.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 3, 2026

Aconite, also known as monkshood, wolf's-bane or devil's helmet, is a common plant that can be found at gardens and mountainous parts of North America, Europe and Asia.

From BBC ● Sep. 1, 2022

This will ask them to find a list of potion-worthy species, like squill, cinnamon, ginger and monkshood, in the conservatory, where an alchemy table will also offer demonstrations of plant-based chemistry.

From New York Times ● Dec. 6, 2018

Beneath it Billie arranges a bouquet of fireweed, monkshood, yarrow, and spruce boughs.

From "Into the Wild" by Jon Krakauer

“What is the difference, Potter, between monkshood and wolfsbane?”

From "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" by J.K. Rowling