mayweed

[ mey-weed ]

noun

1. a composite plant, Anthemis cotula, native to Europe and Asia but naturalized in North America, having pungent, rank-smelling foliage and flower heads with a yellow disk and white rays.

mayweed

/ ˈmeɪˌwiːd /

noun

1. Also calleddog fennelstinking mayweed a widespread Eurasian weedy plant, Anthemis cotula, having evil-smelling leaves and daisy-like flower heads: family Asteraceae (composites)
2. scentless mayweed
   a similar and related plant, Matricaria maritima , with scentless leaves

Word History and Origins

Origin of mayweed¹

1545–55; obsolete mayth mayweed ( Middle English maithe, Old English mægtha ) + weed ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of mayweed¹

C16: changed from Old English mægtha mayweed + weed ¹

Example Sentences

The earth was soft and crumbling, with a scattering of the weeds that are found in cultivated fields—fumitory, charlock, pimpernel and mayweed, all growing in the green gloom under the bean leaves.

From Literature

As tall as the young corn the mayweed fringes the arable fields with its white rays and yellow centre, somewhat as the broad moon-daisies stand in the grass.

From Project Gutenberg

Some knotty knapweeds stay in out-of-the-way places, where the scythe has not been; some bunches of mayweed, too, are visible in the corners of the stubble.

From Project Gutenberg

Out from that trench, sometimes stealthily slipping between the flattened fern-stalks, came a weasel, and, running through the plantains and fringe-like mayweed or stray pimpernel which covered the neglected ground, made for the straw-rick.

From Project Gutenberg

By this time generally the corn is high above the mayweed, but this year the flower is level with its shelter.

From Project Gutenberg