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Definition of witchweed

witchweed

/ˈwɪtʃˌwiːd/
witch · weed
Plural:witchweeds
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witchweed Lexical Profile

witchweed Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

Any of several parasitic plants of the genus Striga native to parts of Africa, Asia, and Australia, which attach to the roots of cereal crops such as corn, sorghum, and sugarcane, causing severe stunting and agricultural yield loss.

Example

"Researchers are developing new pest-resistant varieties of maize to help farmers combat the devastating spread of witchweed across sub-Saharan Africa."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for witchweed

• Rhymes for witchweed

• Nearby Words

witchhunt
witching
witchlike
witchweed
witchy
with
withal

Word Origin & Etymology

A compound of 'witch' and 'weed', named for the parasitic plant's devastating and seemingly magical ability to stunt and destroy host crops while remaining hidden below the soil surface.

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Witchweed. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/witchweed
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