pinkroot

noun

pink·​root ˈpiŋk-ˌrüt How to pronounce pinkroot (audio)
-ˌru̇t
: any of several American plants (genus Spigelia) related to the nux vomica and used as anthelmintics
especially : a U.S. woodland herb (S. marilandica) sometimes cultivated for its showy red and yellow flowers

Examples of pinkroot in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
My favorite single Alabama plant may actually be Spigelia alabamensis, the gentian pinkroot. Greg Garrison, AL.com, 10 June 2017

Word History

First Known Use

1763, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of pinkroot was in 1763

Dictionary Entries Near pinkroot

Cite this Entry

“Pinkroot.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pinkroot. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.

Medical Definition

pinkroot

noun
: any of several plants of the genus Spigelia related to the nux vomica and used as anthelmintics

More from Merriam-Webster on pinkroot

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!