ergot

er·got

noun \ˈər-gət, -ˌgät\

Definition of ERGOT

1

: the black or dark purple sclerotium of fungi (genus Claviceps) that occurs as a club-shaped body replacing the seed of a grass (as rye); also : a fungus bearing ergots

2

: a disease of rye and other cereals caused by an ergot fungus

3

a : the dried sclerotia of an ergot fungus grown on rye and containing several alkaloids (as ergonovine and ergotamine) b : any of such alkaloids used medicinally for their contractile effect on smooth muscle (as of the uterus and or blood vessels)

— er·got·ic \(ˌ)ər-ˈgä-tik\ adjective

Origin of ERGOT

French, literally, cock's spur

First Known Use: 1683

Rhymes with ERGOT

à droite, allot, a lot, ascot, a shot, Banat, bank shot, besot, big shot, black rot, black spot, blind spot, bloodshot, bowknot, boycott, brown rot, buckshot, bullshot, cachepot, calotte, cheap shot, chip shot, crackpot, Crock-Pot, culotte, dashpot, despot, dogtrot, dovecote, draw shot, dreadnought, drop shot, drylot, dry rot, dunk shot, ear rot, earshot, eyeshot, eyespot, feedlot, fiat, firepot, fleshpot, foot rot, foul shot, fox-trot, fusspot, fylfot, garrote, gavotte, grapeshot, G-spot, gunshot, half-knot, have-not, highspot, hotchpot, hot pot, hotshot, ikat, jackpot, job lot, jog trot, jump shot, Kalat, Korat, kumquat, leaf spot, long shot, loquat, love knot, manat, marplot, moon shot, motmot, mug shot, nightspot, odd lot, one-shot, Pequot, Pol Pot, potshot, Rabat, red-hot, reef knot, ring spot, robot, root knot, root rot, sandlot, set shot, sexpot, Shabbat, Shebat, sheepcote, slap shot, slingshot, slipknot, slungshot, snapshot, soft rot, soft spot, somewhat, split shot, square knot, stinkpot, stockpot, subplot, sunspot, sweet spot, sword knot, teapot, tin-pot, topknot, tosspot, try-pot, upshot, wainscot, warm spot, whatnot, white-hot, woodlot, wood shot, wrist shot