death cap

[ deth kap ]

noun

1. a deadly poisonous mushroom of the genus Amanita, especially A. phalloides, with a distinctive membranous cup around the base of the stalk. Death caps resemble a number of edible mushrooms and are responsible for more deaths than any other species of mushroom.

death cap

noun

1. a poisonous woodland saprotrophic basidiomycetous fungus, Amanita phalloides, differing from the edible mushroom ( Agaricus ) only in its white gills (pinkish-brown in Agaricus ) and the presence of a volva See also amanita

Word History and Origins

Origin of death cap¹

First recorded in 1900–05

Example Sentences

Police say the symptoms of the four sickened family members were consistent with poisoning from wild Amanita phalloides, known as death cap mushrooms.

From Seattle Times

Police say the symptoms of the four family members who attended the lunch were consistent with poisoning from wild Amanita phalloides, known as death cap mushrooms.

From Seattle Times

Deaths from eating mushrooms are relatively rare in the country, which has several species, including the "death cap" mushroom, that are dangerous enough kill a human.

From Reuters

Police say the symptoms the four diners had suffered were consistent with poisoning by wild death cap mushrooms.

From Seattle Times

Deaths from consuming mushrooms are relatively rare in the country, which has several species including the "death cap" mushroom that are dangerous enough to poison and kill a human.

From Reuters