spurge
spurge Lexical Profile
spurge Game Scores & Validity
• noun
Any of various diverse plants and shrubs of the genus Euphorbia (family Euphorbiaceae), native to temperate and tropical regions worldwide, characterized by an acrid, milky latex sap and specialized cup-like flower clusters (cyathia) often surrounded by showy, colorful petal-like bracts.
"The gardener wore thick gloves while pruning the Cushion spurge to avoid getting its irritating milky sap on her skin."
Any of several other herbaceous plants or shrubs of the family Euphorbiaceae or allied families (such as Japanese spurge, Pachysandra terminalis) that resemble true spurges in foliage or contain a similar milky juice.
"Japanese spurge is widely planted as an evergreen groundcover in shaded woodland gardens."
• Rhymes for spurge
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed from Old French espurge, from the verb espurgier ('to purge'), ultimately from Latin expurgare ('to cleanse or purge out'), in reference to the traditional medicinal use of the plant's milky sap as a strong purgative.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.