locoweed
locoweed Lexical Profile
locoweed Game Scores & Validity
• noun
North American Any of several species of wild, toxic plants in the legume family (primarily genera Astragalus and Oxytropis) native to western North America, known to cause neurological damage and erratic behavior in grazing livestock.
"Ranchers in the Great Plains must carefully monitor their pastures during early spring to ensure their cattle do not graze on emerging locoweed."
American A dated slang term for marijuana, referencing its psychoactive and intoxicating properties.
"In mid-20th century anti-drug campaigns, marijuana was sometimes sensationalized as 'locoweed' to emphasize its supposed madness-inducing effects."
Word Origin & Etymology
Coined in the American West during the late 19th century, combining the Spanish word 'loco' (crazy) with the English 'weed', referring to the erratic, neurological symptoms exhibited by livestock that ingest the plant.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.