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Definition of viscum

viscum

/ˈvɪs.kəm/
vis · cum
Plural:viscums
•
Adjective:viscous
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viscum Lexical Profile

viscum Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

Any hemiparasitic evergreen shrub of the genus Viscum in the sandalwood family Santalaceae, native to temperate and tropical regions of the Old World and Australia, having forked woody stems, leathery green leaves, tiny clusters of inconspicuous yellowish-green flowers, and sticky white or translucent berries.

2

A glutinous, sticky substance prepared from the berries of the mistletoe and traditionally spread on twigs to trap small birds.

Example

"Ancient fowlers coated branches with viscum to snare perching songbirds."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for viscum

• Nearby Words

visakhapatnam
visca
viscaria
viscum
vise
viseu
vishnu

Word Origin & Etymology

Borrowed directly from Latin viscum, meaning "mistletoe" or "birdlime" (a sticky substance prepared from mistletoe berries), which is also the root of the English word viscous.

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Viscum. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 17, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/viscum
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