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

"But the way he pronounces it, it means the poisonwood tree."

From The Guardian • May 3, 2013

Worse, "Tata Jesus is bangala," as Price mispronounces it, means not Father Jesus is precious but Father Jesus is a poisonwood tree.

From Time Magazine Archive

But the way he pronounces it, it means the poisonwood tree.

From "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver

We used to be baffled by Kikongo words with so many different meanings: bängala, for most precious and most insufferable and also poisonwood.

From "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver

Bangala, for example, the poisonwood tree that was plaguing us all half to death.

From "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver