wolf's-bane

A gardener carefully plants wolf's-bane in a shaded corner of the botanical garden.

Definition

Wolf's-bane (noun) - A poisonous plant: "wolf's-bane" refers to any of several plants of the genus Aconitum, especially Aconitum lycoctonum, known for its toxic properties and historically used in arrow poisons. It is also called "aconite" or "monkshood."

Usage Examples

• (A specific poisonous plant found in the wild.)
• (The plant's toxic sap was applied to weapons.)

Advanced Usage

• "Wolf's-bane" as a historical poison: In folklore and history, the plant was sometimes associated with werewolves, as its name suggests it was used to ward off or kill wolves.
  • The village elders believed that a garland of wolf's-bane could protect against werewolf attacks. (A superstitious use of the plant.)

Variants and Related Words

• Wolf's-bane is typically written with a hyphen and is a compound word. It is not commonly used as a verb or adjective.
• Aconite (n): a more common name for plants in the genus, including wolf's-bane.
  • Aconite is highly toxic if ingested. (The plant's scientific name.)

Synonyms

• Monkshood: another common name for plants, due to the shape of their flowers.
• Aconite: the scientific and general term for the genus.

Related Idioms

• There are no common idioms using "wolf's-bane" itself, but the plant appears in mythology and herbal lore rather than everyday speech.

Additional Notes

• Caution: All parts of wolf's-bane are poisonous, containing alkaloids that can cause severe cardiac and neurological symptoms if ingested or absorbed through the skin.