snakeroot

American  

[sneyk-root, -root] / ˈsneɪkˌrut, -ˌrʊt /

noun

1. any of various plants whose roots root have been regarded as a remedy for snakebites, as the herb Aristolochia serpentaria Virginia snakeroot, having a medicinal rhizome and rootlets, and the white-flowered Polygala senega Seneca snakeroot, having a medicinal root.

2. the root or rhizome of such a plant.

3. the North American bugbane.

4. a white eupatorium, Eupatorium rugosum.

5. a plant, Rauwolfia serpentina (orRauvolfia serpentina ), whose roots root are the source of reserpine and other drugs.

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snakeroot British  

/ ˈsneɪkˌruːt /

noun

1. any of various North American plants, such as Aristolochia serpentaria ( Virginia snakeroot ) and Eupatorium urticaefolium ( white snakeroot ), the roots or rhizomes of which have been used as a remedy for snakebite

2. the rhizome or root of any such plant

3. another name for bistort bistort

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Etymology

Origin of snakeroot

First recorded in 1625–35; snake + root ¹

Example Sentences

Around this time on a recent Thursday, a dozen people clustered on one side of the falls, along two ledges that were blanketed in snakeroot, yellow jewelweed, spotted Joe-Pye weed and pale swallowwort.

From New York Times • Sep. 13, 2022

White snakeroot is a plant that contains chemicals that deactivate the enzyme lactate dehydrogenase.

From Textbooks • Jun. 9, 2022

They grow assorted milkweeds, asters, elderberry, mountain mint, joe-pye weed, goldenrods, white snakeroot and ironweed.

From New York Times • Dec. 3, 2021

What would she do if she found some Virginia snakeroot — rare, fragile and worth $120 per pound — and made $500?

From Washington Post • Oct. 6, 2017

Other seeds of this nature are those of wild ginger, celandine, cyclamen, violet, periwinkle, some euphorbias, bellwort, trillium, prickly poppy, dutchman's breeches, squirrel-corn, several species of Corydalis, Seneca snakeroot, and other species of milkworts.

From Seed Dispersal by Beal, W. J. (William James)