Skunk cabbage

Skunk cabbage
Skunk Skunk, n. [Contr. from the Abenaki (American Indian) seganku.] (Zo["o]l.) Any one of several species of American musteline carnivores of the genus {Mephitis} and allied genera. They have two glands near the anus, secreting an extremely fetid liquid, which the animal ejects at pleasure as a means of defense. [1913 Webster]

Note: The common species of the Eastern United States ({Mephitis mephitica}) is black with more or less white on the body and tail. The spotted skunk ({Spilogale putorius}), native of the Southwestern United States and Mexico, is smaller than the common skunk, and is variously marked with black and white. [1913 Webster]

{Skunk bird}, {Skunk blackbird} (Zo["o]l.), the bobolink; -- so called because the male, in the breeding season, is black and white, like a skunk.

{Skunk cabbage} (Bot.), an American aroid herb ({Symplocarpus f[oe]tidus}) having a reddish hornlike spathe in earliest spring, followed by a cluster of large cabbagelike leaves. It exhales a disagreeable odor. Also called {swamp cabbage}.

{Skunk porpoise}. (Zo["o]l.) See under {Porpoise}. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Skunk Cabbage — may mean:* Eastern Skunk Cabbage, Symplocarpus foetidus , commonly known as skunk cabbage on the eastern coast of the United States * Western Skunk Cabbage, Lysichiton americanus , commonly known as skunk cabbage on the western coast of the… …   Wikipedia

  • skunk cabbage — ☆ skunk cabbage n. 1. a perennial E North American plant (Symplocarpus foetidus) of the arum family, growing in wet soil and having large, cabbagelike leaves, a spadix of small flowers concealed in a purple, hooded spathe, and a disagreeable… …   English World dictionary

  • skunk cabbage — 1. a low, fetid, broad leaved North American plant, Symplocarpus foetidus, of the arum family, having a brownish purple and green mottled spathe surrounding a stout spadix, growing in moist ground. 2. a related plant, Lysichiton americanum, of… …   Universalium

  • skunk-cabbage — kaliforninis čemerys statusas T sritis vardynas apibrėžtis Melantinių šeimos dekoratyvinis augalas (Veratrum californicum), paplitęs Šiaurės Amerikoje. atitikmenys: lot. Veratrum californicum angl. California false hellebore; skunk cabbage… …   Lithuanian dictionary (lietuvių žodynas)

  • skunk-cabbage — dvokusis lipšnis statusas T sritis vardynas apibrėžtis Aroninių šeimos vaistinis nuodingas augalas (Symplocarpus foetidus), paplitęs rytų Azijoje ir Šiaurės Amerikoje. atitikmenys: lot. Symplocarpus foetidus angl. skunk cabbage pranc. chou puant; …   Lithuanian dictionary (lietuvių žodynas)

  • skunk cabbage — skunk′ cab bage n. 1) pln a low, fetid, broad leaved North American plant, Symplocarpus foetidus, of the arum family, having a brownish purple and green mottled spathe surrounding a stout spadix, growing in moist ground 2) pln a related plant,… …   From formal English to slang

  • skunk-cabbage — n. Swamp cabbage (Symplocarpus faetidus), skunk weed …   New dictionary of synonyms

  • skunk cabbage — noun Date: 1751 either of two North American perennial herbs of the arum family that occur in shaded wet to swampy areas and have a fetid odor suggestive of a skunk: a. one (Symplocarpus foetidus) of eastern North America that sends up in spring… …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • skunk cabbage — noun (C, U) a large North American plant similar to a cabbage, with an unpleasant smell …   Longman dictionary of contemporary English

  • skunk cabbage — noun a) Symplocarpus foetidus, a low growing plant native to the wetlands of eastern North America. b) Lysichiton americanus, a low growing plant native to the wetlands of western North America …   Wiktionary

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