dogtooth violet

[ dawg-tooth vahy-uh-lit, dog- ]

noun

1. Also called adder's-tongue,. any of several North American lilies of the genus Erythronium, having nodding flowers and usually mottled leaves.
2. a related Old World plant, E. dens-canis, having purplish flowers.

dogtooth violet

noun

1. a name for various plants of the liliaceous genus Erythronium, esp the North American E. americanum, with yellow nodding flowers, or the European E. dens-canis, with purple flowers Also calledadders-tonguefawn lily

Word History and Origins

Origin of dogtooth violet¹

First recorded in 1620–30

Example Sentences

There are also local wildflowers - trillium, dogtooth violets and cornflowers from ditches.

From BBC

And one tall yellow flower was called a dogtooth violet but was different and was really an adder’s-tongue.

From Literature

We ate smoked fish for dinner with boiled dogtooth violet bulbs.

From Literature

Contemplative between their dark exotic leaves, dogtooth violets fill the light-flecked hollows.

From Project Gutenberg

It is the only locality in which I have found the dogtooth violet in bloom, and the best place I know of to gather arbutus.

From Project Gutenberg