baneberry
baneberry Lexical Profile
• noun
Any of various woodland perennial herbaceous flowering plants of the genus Actaea (family Ranunculaceae), native to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere, producing dense, feathery clusters of small white blossoms followed by glossy, highly poisonous red, white, or black berries.
"During our walk through the shady forest, the guide warned us not to touch the bright white berries of the doll's-eyes baneberry."
The small, glossy, highly toxic berry produced by a plant of the genus Actaea.
"Although birds can safely consume the seeds, ingesting even a few baneberries can cause severe poisoning in humans."
• Rhymes for baneberry
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Formed from English 'bane' (from Old English 'bana', meaning killer or poison) and 'berry', in reference to the plant's highly toxic berries.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.