ragwort

American  

[rag-wurt, -wawrt] / ˈrægˌwɜrt, -ˌwɔrt /

noun

1. any of various composite plants of the genus Senecio, as S. jacobaea, of the Old World, having yellow flowers and irregularly lobed leaves, or S. aureus golden ragwort, of North America, also having yellow flowers.

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ragwort British  

/ ˈræɡˌwɜːt /

noun

1. any of several plants of the genus Senecio , esp S. jacobaea of Europe, that have yellow daisy-like flowers: family Asteraceae (composites) See also groundsel

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Etymology

Origin of ragwort

Middle English word dating back to 1325–75; see origin at rag ¹, wort ²

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

ragwort

Once, while cycling to meet a friend at a pub, England spied 50 caterpillars on a ragwort plant.

From Science Magazine ● May 20, 2024

An impenetrable tangle of tansy ragwort, a noxious weed toxic to people and livestock, crowds the fence line.

From Seattle Times ● Aug. 18, 2023

You’ll see pollinator gardens and patches tucked into smaller areas, a shady golden ragwort forest, a stream and floating wetlands that help to support fish and crabs.

From Washington Post ● Mar. 10, 2022

Renoir picks a bunch of camomile, ragwort and wild parsley to evoke the hazy summer fields round Fontainebleau, stuffing them into a homely jug to make the rustic point.

From The Guardian ● Aug. 14, 2010

Then Jeanne returned to the forest and the greyhound—no time to show the dog to her parents now—and knelt down in the thick foliage, pushing ragwort away from her bare arms.

From "The Inquisitor's Tale" by Adam Gidwitz