bloodroot

noun

blood·​root ˈbləd-ˌrüt 

-ˌru̇t

: a plant (Sanguinaria canadensis) of the poppy family having a red root and sap and bearing a solitary lobed leaf and white flower in early spring

called also sanguinaria

Examples of bloodroot in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The name, bloodroot, refers to the red color of the plant’s sap. —Sheryl De Vore, Chicago Tribune, 31 Mar. 2026

In addition to the trout lily, Georgia’s spring ephemerals include bloodroot, toothwort, harbinger of spring, wild geranium, blue cohosh, twinleaf, May-apple, Virginia bluebell, celandine poppy, Dutchman’s breeches, spring beauty, wood anemone, windflower, bleeding heart, phacelia and more. —Charles Seabrook, AJC.com, 7 Mar. 2026

Jacob's ladder, wild ginger and bloodroot offer interesting or unusual foliage. —Barbara Gillette, The Spruce, 6 Mar. 2026

What Wildflowers to Look Out For According to the park's wildflower calendar, some of the first blooms to appear each spring are the bright purple hepatica and cheery white-and-yellow bloodroot flowers. —Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 21 Feb. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1724, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for bloodroot

• acute
• aleut
• astute
• beetroot
• breadfruit
• cheroot
• commute
• compute
• confute
• dilute
• dispute
• elute

Kids Definition

bloodroot

noun

blood·​root ˈbləd-ˌrüt 

-ˌru̇t

: a plant related to the poppies, having a red root and sap, and bearing a single leaf and a white flower in early spring

Medical Definition

bloodroot

noun

blood·​root -ˌrüt  -ˌru̇t 

: an herb (Sanguinaria canadensis) of the poppy family that has red sap and has a rootstock and roots used as an emetic and expectorant