darnel
English
Etymology
From Middle English darnel, dernel, from Lua error in Module:parameters at line 360: Parameter 2 should be a valid language, etymology language or family code; the value "ONF." is not valid. See WT:LOL, WT:LOL/E and WT:LOF. ( > dialectal French dernelle, darnette), of Germanic origin, possibly Proto-West Germanic *darjan (“to harm, injure”).
Related to Walloon darne, derne (“stunned, dazed, drunk”), Middle Dutch verdarnt, verdaernt (“stunned, dumbfounded, angry”). The association with being dazed or drunkenness is due to the well-known intoxicating effects of the plant.
Pronunciation
- Lua error in Module:parameters at line 360: Parameter 1 should be a valid language or etymology language code; the value "RP" is not valid. See WT:LOL and WT:LOL/E. IPA(key): /ˈdɑːnəɫ/
Noun
darnel (usually uncountable, plural darnels)
- A species of ryegrass, Lolium temulentum, often found in wheat fields and often host to a fungus intoxicating to humans and animals.
- c. 1603–1606, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of King Lear”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene vi]:
- With harlocks, hemlock, nettles, cuckoo-flowers, / Darnel, and all the idle weeds that grow / In our sustaining corn.
- Various species of Lolium, especially as a weed in wheat fields.
Synonyms
- (Lolium temulentum): poison darnel
Hyponyms
- (various species of ryegrass): Persian darnel, white darnel, red darnel
Translations
type of ryegrass found in wheatfields
|
Further reading
- Lolium temulentum on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
- Lolium temulentum on Wikispecies.Wikispecies
- Lolium temulentum on Wikimedia Commons.Wikimedia Commons
- darnel at USDA Plants database (L. temulentum)
- darnel at USDA Plants database (L. persicum)
References
- “darnel”, in The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th edition, Boston, Mass.: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2016, →ISBN.
See also
Anagrams
Categories:
- English terms inherited from Middle English
- English terms derived from Middle English
- English terms derived from Germanic languages
- English terms derived from Proto-West Germanic
- English 2-syllable words
- English terms with IPA pronunciation
- English lemmas
- English nouns
- English uncountable nouns
- English countable nouns
- English terms with quotations
- en:Poeae tribe grasses