nightshade family

American  

noun

1. the plant family Solanaceae, characterized by herbaceous plants, trees, shrubs, and vines having alternate, simple or pinnate leaves, conspicuous flowers, and fruit in the form of a berry or capsule, and including belladonna, eggplant, nightshade, peppers of the genus Capsicum, petunia, potato, tobacco, and tomato.

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

nightshade family

The Lippman lab focuses on plants in the nightshade family, which includes staple crops like tomatoes, eggplants, and potatoes, along with lesser-known species such as goldenberries.

From Science Daily ● Jan. 11, 2026

The plant is part of the black nightshade family and is harmful if eaten, especially its unripened berries or leaves, and can cause nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, trembling, paralysis, coma or even death.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 21, 2024

On the diet front, Brady advises against foods in the nightshade family like peppers, tomatoes and eggplants because of inflammation concerns.

From Seattle Times ● Sep. 23, 2022

The fruits, which belong to the nightshade family of flowering plants, are deliciously salty with syrupy undertones, making them perfect to use in salads, pizzas or, even, desserts.

From Salon ● Jul. 27, 2022

Hen′bane, a coarse annual or biennial herb of the nightshade family, poisonous, esp. to domestic fowls; Hen′coop, a coop or large cage for domestic fowls; Hen′-driv′er, Hen′-harr′ier, a species of falcon, the common harrier.—adj.

From Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 2 of 4: E-M) by Various

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