poisonwood

American  

[poi-zuhn-wood] / ˈpɔɪ zənˌwʊd /

noun

1. a tree, Metopium toxiferum, of southern Florida, that has compound leaves and yellowish, berrylike fruits and is poisonous to touch.

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Etymology

Origin of poisonwood

An Americanism dating back to 1715–25; poison + wood ¹

Example Sentences

Kingsolver has long woven social issues into her novels, which include “The Bean Trees” and “The Poisonwood Bible,” and helped establish the PEN/Bellwether Prize for Socially Engaged Fiction.

From Seattle Times

Her 1998 novel “The Poisonwood Bible” was an Oprah Book Club pick and a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize.

From Los Angeles Times

Her past novels include “The Bean Trees,” “Flight Behavior” and “The Poisonwood Bible,” a Winfrey selection in 2000.

From Seattle Times

The advance for “The Poisonwood Bible,” out in 1998, was reported to be a million dollars; with it, Kingsolver established a biannual $25,000 literary prize for first-time novelists whose work tackled social change.

From New York Times

In her new novel, the author of “The Poisonwood Bible” borrows from Charles Dicken’s “David Copperfield” to tell the story of an Appalachian boy.

From New York Times