soapwort

[ sohp-wurt, -wawrt ]

/ ˈsoʊpˌwɜrt, -ˌwɔrt /

Save This Word!

See synonyms for: soapwort / soapworts on Thesaurus.com

noun

a plant, Saponaria officinalis, of the pink family, whose leaves are used for cleansing.

QUIZ

CAN YOU ANSWER THESE COMMON GRAMMAR DEBATES?

There are grammar debates that never die; and the ones highlighted in the questions in this quiz are sure to rile everyone up once again. Do you know how to answer the questions that cause some of the greatest grammar debates?

Question 1 of 7

Which sentence is correct?

His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Also called bouncing Bet, bouncing Bess.

Origin of soapwort

First recorded in 1540–50; soap + wort²

Words nearby soapwort

soap pad, soap plant, soap powder, soapstone, soapsuds, soapwort, soapy, soar, soaraway, Soares, soaring

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use soapwort in a sentence

Polypetalous corolla of Soapwort, of five petals with long claws or stalk-like bases.
The Elements of Botany|Asa Gray
Unguiculate petals are universal and strongly marked in the Pink tribe, as in Soapwort (Fig. 248).
The Elements of Botany|Asa Gray
Other sapotoxins are obtained from the roots of soapwort and from several species of Gypsophila.
The Chemistry of Plant Life|Roscoe Wilfred Thatcher
The Soapwort comes to us from Europe, where in some localities it is a common wild flower.
Birds and Nature Vol. 11 No. 2 [February 1902]|Various

The plant commonly called Soapwort or Bouncing Bet also bears other popular names, many of which are purely local.
Birds and Nature Vol. 11 No. 2 [February 1902]|Various

British Dictionary definitions for soapwort

soapwort

/ (ˈsəʊpˌwɜːt) /

noun

a Eurasian caryophyllaceous plant, Saponaria officinalis, having rounded clusters of fragrant pink or white flowers and leaves that were formerly used as a soap substituteAlso called: bouncing Bet

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012