Definition

A tall plant native to North America that has small white flowers and dark purple berries. The roots of this plant are poisonous, and its young shoots can sometimes be eaten after proper preparation.

Example

The pokeweed in the garden produced clusters of dark berries that attracted birds.

Conversation

Have you ever seen a pokeweed plant in the wild?

Yeah, I saw one at the park last summer; those berries are really striking.

I heard the berries are toxic, though, so it's best to stay away from them.

Definitely! It's interesting how something so pretty can be so dangerous.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Pokeweed comes from the word 'poke' (from the Virginia Algonquian word 'pocan') meaning to swell or to poke, and 'weed' (from Old English 'wēod', meaning a plant or herb). The term 'pokeweed' refers to a plant that swells or grows in a weedy manner.

Memory Tip

Think of the word 'poke' meaning to swell, and 'weed' referring to a plant. This helps you remember that pokeweed is a plant that grows in a weedy fashion.

Visually Confused Words