silkweed

[ silk-weed ]

noun

1. any milkweed, the pods of which contain a silky down.

silkweed

/ ˈsɪlkˌwiːd /

noun

1. another name for milkweed

Word History and Origins

Origin of silkweed¹

An Americanism dating back to 1775–85; silk + weed ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of silkweed¹

C19: so called because the pods contain a silklike down

Example Sentences

They are jolly little fellows, and they will allow you to stay, and teach you to spin; for they spin all winter, and make lovely cloth for the elves out of silkweed and thistle-down.

From Project Gutenberg

Their lines were made of the tough, fibrous, silken bark of the variety of milkweed or silkweed, already mentioned.

From Project Gutenberg

The silkweed, the skull-cap, catnip, boneset, the peppermint, wild ginger, wintergreen, and scores of other plants, all gladly offered their roots, their berries, or their leaves.

From Project Gutenberg