touch-me-not

noun

ˈtəch-mē-ˌnät 

: either of two North American impatiens growing in moist areas: such as

a

: one (Impatiens capensis) typically having orange flowers spotted with reddish brown

b

: one (I. pallida) having typically yellow flowers sometimes spotted with reddish brown

Examples of touch-me-not in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The leaves and petals of the touch-me-not have been traditionally used by Korean girls and women to dye their fingernails in the summer, and there’s even a superstition that if there’s still some dye left on your fingernails by the time the first snow falls, then your first love will come true. —Regina Kim, Forbes, 7 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

from the bursting of the ripe pods and scattering of their seeds when touched

First Known Use

1659, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

touch-me-not

noun

ˈtəch-mē-ˌnät

: either of two North American impatiens that grow in moist areas