moth mullein
|
noun
a weedy, European mullein, Verbascum blattaria, of the figwort family, having lance-shaped leaves and loose spikes of white or yellow flowers.
RELATED CONTENT
They Call It Puppy Love And Other Animal-inspired PhrasesWe often attribute emotions and other human characteristics to animals. This is called anthropomorphism . Similarly, we also describe people using animal characteristics. You might, for example, say my teenage son “eats like a horse,” meaning he’s a growing boy and consumes a lot of food. This is called zoomorphism . Zoomorphism also includes assigning animal-like qualities to gods and inanimate objects. The term comes from …
Nearby words
mote spoon, motel, motet, moth, moth bean, moth mullein, moth orchid, moth-eaten, mothball, mothballs, mother
Origin of moth mullein
First recorded in 1570–80; from its mothlike appearance
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for moth mullein
The moth-mullein is so called because its blossoms have the appearance of a number of delicate moths resting upon the stem.
The Wild Flowers of California: Their Names, Haunts, and Habits|Mary Elizabeth Parsons