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Definition of jewelweed
jewelweed
/ˈdʒuː.əlˌwiːd/
jew · el · weed
Plural:jewelweeds
jewelweed Lexical Profile
CEFR
C1
Grade
8
Tier
3
Usage
Rare
jewelweed Game Scores & Validity
Scrabble US
Scrabble UK
WWF
Wordle Guess
• noun
1
North American Any of several North American wild plants of the genus Impatiens (such as Impatiens capensis), typically found in moist, shady ecological habitats, distinguished by their pendulous, trumpet-shaped orange or yellow flowers and seed pods that burst open explosively when touched.
Example
"While hiking near the damp creek bed, the botanist pointed out a dense patch of jewelweed, noting that its crushed stems are traditionally used as a folk remedy for poison ivy rashes."
Synonyms
View all synonyms for jewelweedWord Origin & Etymology
Coined in the 17th century as a compound of 'jewel' and 'weed', named either for its bright, pendulous flowers or for the way its leaves cause water droplets to bead up and sparkle like jewels.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.
180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer
Cite this Entry
Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Jewelweed. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 14, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/jewelweed