noun

chickweed

CHIK-weed

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Chickweed (noun) means 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. Example: “Common chickweed spreads quickly across bare garden soil.”

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.

"Common chickweed spreads quickly across bare garden soil."

"She picked young chickweed leaves to add to a salad."

"Chickweed often pops up between paving stones in early spring."

How to use chickweed

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishChickweed is a common little garden weed with small white flowers that people sometimes eat.

When to use it

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

Memory tip

Remember it as chicken-weed shortened, since it was traditionally fed to chickens.

Trace the full origin ↓

Common pairings

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

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C2 · Advanced serendipity Fortunate discoveries made entirely by accident.

Gen Z slang rizz Charm — the ability to attract a romantic interest.

B2 · Intermediate empathy The capacity to share another person’s feelings.

C1 · Advanced nonchalant Casually calm and relaxed; unconcerned.

Internet slang delulu Delusional — believing something against the odds.

Etymology nostalgia Greek nostos “return home” + algos “pain”.

C2 · Advanced serendipity Fortunate discoveries made entirely by accident.

Gen Z slang rizz Charm — the ability to attract a romantic interest.

B2 · Intermediate empathy The capacity to share another person’s feelings.

C1 · Advanced nonchalant Casually calm and relaxed; unconcerned.

Internet slang delulu Delusional — believing something against the odds.

Etymology nostalgia Greek nostos “return home” + algos “pain”.

Test yourself on “chickweed” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage →

Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

Common _____ spreads quickly across bare garden soil.

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.

Origin: Middle English

Rhymes for chickweed

feed seed reed deed need heed weed peed bleed breed speed creed

See all rhymes for 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.

What is the meaning of chickweed?

"chickweed" (noun) means 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.