Hogweed

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A tall coarse plant with large leaves and small white flowers in flat-topped clusters, some species of which cause severe skin irritation when exposed to sunlight
2. A robust herbaceous plant known for its extensive leaves and clusters of small white blossoms, which in certain variants can lead to serious skin reactions upon sunlight exposure
3. A large and coarse perennial plant characterized by its significant leaf size and white flowers that can induce severe dermatitis in individuals who come into contact with it

Etymology: Hogweed is a compound of "hog" and "weed," and the name is literal: pigs were fed on the plant, which is why the common name points straight at the animal. "Hog" is an old English word for a castrated or full-grown pig kept for meat, while "weed" originally meant any herb or plant, not specifically an unwanted one. The sense of "weed" as a plant growing where it is not wanted came later, so the name records a plant valued as fodder rather than one despised as a pest. The plant's reputation has since reversed that original purpose. Several hogweed species, especially giant hogweed, contain compounds called furanocoumarins that make skin extremely sensitive to sunlight, so contact can produce painful burns and blistering. The pig-feed name therefore now sits oddly beside a plant that is more often avoided than eaten.