baneberry
baneberry Lexical Profile
• noun
A perennial herbaceous plant of the genus Actaea, native to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere, characterized by clusters of small white flowers and highly toxic berries.
"While hiking through the dense northern woods, the botanist pointed out a baneberry plant and warned the group not to touch it."
The bright red or white poisonous berry produced by the baneberry plant, which contains cardiogenic toxins fatal to humans but harmless to many birds.
"Children must be taught never to forage wild fruits without supervision, as ingesting even a single baneberry can lead to severe illness."
• Rhymes for baneberry
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
From Old English 'bana' (killer, slayer, poison) + 'berige' (berry), coined in reference to the plant's highly toxic fruit.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.