Definition

Noun: 1. A perennial aquatic or marsh plant (Sagittaria latifolia): A North American plant species characterized by its distinctive arrowhead-shaped leaves and white, three-petaled flowers. It is often found growing in shallow water or wet soil. 2. A weed: In some contexts, particularly in agriculture or gardening, it can be considered an unwanted plant that grows where it is not desired, often competing with cultivated plants.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The pond's edge was lined with common arrowhead, its white flowers bright against the green leaves.
  • Farmers sometimes have to manage common arrowhead as it can invade rice paddies and irrigation ditches.

Advanced Usage

• Ecological role: While sometimes called a weed, the common arrowhead is an important native plant that provides habitat and food for wildlife, including waterfowl and muskrats.
• Historical/Ethnobotanical use: The tuberous roots of the common arrowhead were a traditional food source for some Indigenous peoples of North America, who sometimes called it "wapato" or "duck potato."

Variants and Related Words

• Arrowhead (n): A more general term for plants of the genus, or the shape of the leaf.
• Broadleaf arrowhead (n): Another common name for .
• Duck-potato (n): A colloquial name referring to its edible tuber and its appeal to waterfowl.
• Wapato (n): A name derived from Indigenous languages for the edible tuber.

Synonyms

• Weed (n): A general term for an unwanted plant.
• Aquatic plant (n): A plant that grows in or near water.

Related Phrases/Idioms

• To treat as a weed: To manage or remove a plant because it is considered undesirable in a particular location.
  • Although it's a native species, gardeners often treat the common arrowhead as a weed when it spreads too aggressively.

Noun

1. a weed