stickseed

American

[stik-seed] / ˈstɪkˌsid /

noun

any of the weedy plants belonging to the genus Lappula, having prickly seeds that adhere to clothing.

stickseed British

/ ˈstɪkˌsiːd /

noun

Also called: beggar's-lice. any of various Eurasian and North American plants of the boraginaceous genus Lappula, having red-and-blue flowers and small prickly fruits

"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

Etymology

Origin of stickseed

An Americanism dating back to 1835–45; stick ² + seed

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Dr. Reichard seemed to care about everything, from the survival of the rare, native, showy stickseed and Wenatchee Mountain checkermallow, to the quality of the coffee cart and seating for visitors at the arboretum’s visitor center.

From Seattle Times

A bract at the base of each flower Stickseed, Lappula echinata. 11b.

From Project Gutenberg

Racemes without bracts at the base of each flower Stickseed, Lappula deflexa var. americana. 12a.

From Project Gutenberg

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023