belladonna
noun
bel·la·don·na
ˌbe-lə-ˈdä-nə 
1
: an Old World poisonous plant (Atropa belladonna) of the nightshade family having purple or green bell-shaped flowers, glossy black berries, and root and leaves that yield atropine
called also deadly nightshade
2
: a medicinal extract (such as atropine) from the belladonna plant
Examples of belladonna in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
But Atropa belladonna is more than an agent of death.
—
Nina Foster, JSTOR Daily, 30 May 2025
Amaryllis flowers are a small genus of flowers with two different species — with Amaryllis belladonna being the more popular one.
—Ryan Brennan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 Jan. 2025
Their relatives include daffodils (Narcissus), naked ladies (Amaryllis belladonna), and the alliums, including edible garlic, leeks, onion, and the ornamental alliums.
—Erica Browne Grivas, Better Homes & Gardens, 24 Nov. 2024
Consuming belladonna can affect your nervous system.
—Mary Choy, Health, 9 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for belladonna
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Nina Foster, JSTOR Daily, 30 May 2025
Amaryllis flowers are a small genus of flowers with two different species — with Amaryllis belladonna being the more popular one.
—Ryan Brennan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 Jan. 2025
Their relatives include daffodils (Narcissus), naked ladies (Amaryllis belladonna), and the alliums, including edible garlic, leeks, onion, and the ornamental alliums.
—Erica Browne Grivas, Better Homes & Gardens, 24 Nov. 2024
Consuming belladonna can affect your nervous system.
—Mary Choy, Health, 9 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for belladonna
Cite this Entry
“Belladonna.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/belladonna. Accessed 7 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
belladonna
noun
bel·la·don·na
ˌbel-ə-ˈdän-ə
1
: a European poisonous herb of the nightshade family with purple or green bell-shaped flowers, glossy black berries, and a root and leaves that are a source of atropine
called also deadly nightshade
2
: a drug or extract from the belladonna
Etymology
from Italian bella donna, literally, "beautiful lady"; so called because the extract was formerly used in cosmetics
Medical Definition
belladonna
noun
bel·la·don·na
ˌbel-ə-ˈdän-ə
1
: an Old World poisonous plant of the genus Atropa (A. belladonna) having purple or green flowers, glossy black berries, and a root and leaves that yield atropine
called also deadly nightshade
2
: a medicinal preparation (as atropine) extracted from the belladonna plant and containing anticholinergic alkaloids
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