blue cohosh

noun

: a perennial North American herb (Caulophyllum thalictroides) of the barberry family that has greenish-yellow or purplish flowers and large blue berrylike fruits

Examples of blue cohosh 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.
Three clients, including Nosek, told NBC News that Baker recommended blue cohosh, traditionally used during childbirth in Indigenous communities, to help encourage their labor. Bracey Harris, NBC News, 20 Sep. 2024 One trend has been the posting of videos, tweets and images of herbs including mugwort, pennyroyal and blue cohosh. Rachel Lerman, Washington Post, 4 July 2022 Elsewhere, maidenhair, blue cohosh and sassafras abound, auguries of a nutrient-heavy, fertile forest floor. Jonny Diamond, Smithsonian Magazine, 5 Jan. 2022

Word History

First Known Use

1814, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of blue cohosh was in 1814

Dictionary Entries Near blue cohosh

Cite this Entry

“Blue cohosh.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/blue%20cohosh. Accessed 23 Dec. 2024.

Medical Definition

blue cohosh

noun
: a tall herb (Caulophyllum thalictroides of the family Berberidaceae) of eastern North America and Asia having large blue berrylike fruits and a thick knotty rootstock that was formerly used as an antispasmodic and emmenagogue
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