shepherd's-purse

[ shep-erdz-purs ]

noun

1. a European weed, Capsella bursa-pastoris, having white flowers and purselike pods, naturalized in North America.

shepherd's-purse

noun

1. a plant, Capsella bursa-pastoris, having small white flowers and flattened triangular seed pods: family Brassicaceae (crucifers)

Word History and Origins

Origin of shepherd's-purse¹

late Middle English word dating back to 1400–50

Word History and Origins

Origin of shepherd's-purse¹

C15: compare Latin bursa pastoris, French bourse-de-berger, German Hirtentasche, Dutch herdentasch

Example Sentences

On the plant side, those include phragmites, meadow grass, shepherd’s-purse; weeds, all of them, and seemingly spread by European colonization.

From Salon

On the shepherd's-purse, for example, the ant climbs up, selects a well-filled pod which is not sufficiently dried to have had its seeds threshed out by the winds, takes the pod in its little jaws and then—watch him—turns round and round on his hind legs until he twists it off!

From Project Gutenberg

If that sluggard had gone to the ant, as wise King Solomon told him to, and learned all their ways, he would have found, among other things, how one species harvests the seeds of the plant known as the "shepherd's-purse," by twisting off the pods with its hind legs.

From Project Gutenberg

An ant will, for instance, ascend the stem of a fruiting plant, of shepherd’s-purse, let us say, and select a  well-filled but green pod, mid-way up the stem, those below being ready to shed their seeds at a touch.

From Project Gutenberg

Simple honesty shows in vain A fashion few seek to robe in, While the poor SHEPHERD'S-PURSE is ta'en By rascally RAGGED-ROBIN.

From Project Gutenberg