moonseed

[ moon-seed ]

noun

1. any climbing plant of the genus Menispermum, having greenish-white flowers and crescent-shaped seeds.
2. Carolina moonseed.

moonseed

/ ˈmuːnˌsiːd /

noun

1. any menispermaceous climbing plant of the genus Menispermum and related genera, having red or black fruits with crescent-shaped or ring-shaped seeds

Word History and Origins

Origin of moonseed¹

First recorded in 1730–40; moon + seed

Example Sentences

A space mission returns to Earth with a lump of rock containing a mysterious nano-substance called “moonseed” that converts all inorganic matter into moonseed.

From The Guardian

The presence of so much moonseed suggests that this ecosystem was fantastically dense, a salad bar for giants.

From New York Times

On the wooded slopes there are the white fruits of the baneberry on its quaintly-shaped red stalks, the pretty fruit clusters of the moonseed and the smilax.

From Project Gutenberg

She learned the uses and prices of the plant, and also made drawings of cohosh, moonseed and bloodroot.

From Project Gutenberg

Found in abundance in the Kaiparowits, the heart-shaped moonseed leaves indicate the presence of a dense vine system in the Late Cretaceous.

From New York Times