chickweed

What is another word for chickweed? Here is its meaning, with related words and examples.

Noun — A small, low-growing herb, especially common chickweed, with tiny white flowers, found widely across Europe and North America and often eaten as a salad plant.

We haven't recorded synonyms for chickweed yet. You can still read its full definition, where it comes from, or words that rhyme with it.

How to use chickweed

The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.

common chickweed a patch of chickweed pull up chickweed wild chickweed chickweed leaves

Chickweed is an everyday, informal plant name used in gardening and foraging contexts.

Etymology

The word comes from Middle English forms such as chykwed and chikewed, themselves a shortening of an older word meaning chicken-weed, built from chick plus weed. One source suggests the plant was named because it was widely fed to chickens.

Full origin of chickweed →

Frequently asked questions

What is chickweed used for?

Chickweed is often eaten raw in salads or cooked as a leafy green, and its small white-flowered form is common across gardens and waste ground.

Is chickweed the same as common chickweed?

Chickweed refers broadly to several similar small herbs, and common chickweed, Stellaria media, is the best-known example.

Why is it called chickweed?

The name comes from an older term meaning chicken-weed, since the plant was widely used as feed for chickens.

Nearby words

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