woadwaxen

American  

[wohd-wak-suhn] / ˈwoʊdˌwæk sən /

noun

1. an ornamental Eurasian shrub, Genista tinctoria, whose flowers yield a yellow dye formerly used with woad to make a permanent green dye.

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woadwaxen British  

/ ˈwəʊdˌwæksən /

noun

1. another name for dyer's-greenweed

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Etymology

Origin of woadwaxen

1325–75; Middle English wodewaxen, equivalent to wode wood ¹ + waxen grown (past participle of waxen to wax ² ); replacing Middle English wodewax, Old English wuduweax

Example Sentences

I watched him wipe out the mortar and fill it with the woadwaxen I’d collected on Penikese.

From "Beyond the Bright Sea" by Lauren Wolk

The rain was nothing but a heavy mist by the time we set sail, armed with a shovel and canvas bags to carry back whatever we might find, even if it was only woadwaxen.

From "Beyond the Bright Sea" by Lauren Wolk

I did that now, cutting off the lane to gather some woadwaxen for his yellow.

From "Beyond the Bright Sea" by Lauren Wolk

Victoria Regia, 51. whiteweed, 44. wild, 42. woadwaxen, 44.

From Colonial Homes and Their Furnishings by Northend, Mary H.