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

er·got

noun \ˈər-gət, -ˌgät\   (Medical Dictionary)

Medical Definition of ERGOT

1

a : the black or dark purple sclerotium of fungi of the genus Claviceps that occurs as a club-shaped body which replaces the seed of various grasses (as rye) b : any fungus of the genus Claviceps

2

: a disease of rye and other cereals caused by fungi of the genus Claviceps and characterized by the presence of ergots in the seed heads—compare ergotism

3

a : the dried sclerotial bodies of an ergot fungus grown on rye and containing several ergot alkaloids b : ergot alkaloid

—er·got·ic \(ˌ)ər-ˈgät-ik\ (audio pronunciation) adjective

ergot

noun    (Concise Encyclopedia)

Disease of cereal grasses, especially rye, caused by the fungus Claviceps purpurea. An ear of rye infected with ergot exudes a sweet, yellowish mucus. Ergot is the source of drugs used to control postpartum hemorrhage and to treat migraine headaches. Lysergic acid, from which the powerful hallucinogen LSD is synthesized, comes from ergot. Taking an overdose of ergot-derived medications or eating flour milled from ergot-infected rye can cause ergotism (also called St. Anthony's Fire) in humans and livestock; symptoms may include convulsions, miscarriages in females, and dry gangrene, and may result in death.