buckthorn
noun
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Definition of buckthorn
1 : any of a genus (Rhamnus of the family Rhamnaceae, the buckthorn family) of often thorny trees or shrubs some of which yield purgatives or pigments
2 : a shrub or small tree (Bumelia lycioides) of the sapodilla family of the southern U.S.
Examples of buckthorn in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Volunteers will clean debris in and around the river, remove buckthorn and other invasive species near the waterway, and also help with native wildflower plantings in Heritage Park. — Brendel Hightower, Detroit Free Press, "Things to do in metro Detroit for the week of May 13," 15 May 2018 Participants will spend the rest of June and most of July scouring woods and removing buckthorn, Japanese barberry and other invasive plant species. — Ted Slowik, Daily Southtown, "Slowik: Teens discover benefits of working summers in forest preserves," 27 June 2018 The organic feel of the piece fits in perfectly at Noma, where chef René Redzepi pioneered foraging for underused local ingredients such as sea buckthorn and reindeer moss. — James Clasper, New York Times, "Artist to Know: the Danish Sculptor Making Objects for Noma," 13 June 2018 The Eiseles strive to increase biodiversity throughout the property, including efforts to plant native prairie species and to remove invasive plants such as garlic mustard and buckthorn. — Paul A. Smith, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Smith: Fulfillment on Gobbler's Ridge comes from more than just harvesting turkeys," 12 May 2018 The lingonberries and sea buckthorn used in Selma’s homemade sodas find new life as preserves, which are paired with tiny vintage Scandinavian oyster forks and sturdy spelt crackers. — Aliza Abarbanel, Bon Appetit, "Hesperios Founder Autumn Hruby Just Opened a Cafe in Her Dreamy Manhattan Shop," 21 May 2018 The next challenge, Fuller said, is tackling the remnants of invasive brush, like buckthorn and Eurasian honeysuckle, that threaten to choke out volunteers’ progress. — Genevieve Bookwalter, chicagotribune.com, "Miami Woods Forest Preserve celebrates 40 years of volunteer restoration," 6 Apr. 2018 The Savory Pastry Beets star in galettes at North Bakery in Providence, sea buckthorn sneaks into the muffins at Kantine in SF, and everything spice tops these doughy knots from The Bakery at Fat Rice in Chicago. — Leah Mennies, Bon Appetit, "Technicolor Croissants and More Glimpses Into the Future of Pastries," 3 Apr. 2018 Common buckthorn is more prevalent and found in many landscapes. — Sheryl Devore, Lake County News-Sun, "Battling buckthorn: Regional tree initiative enlists help from homeowners to eradicate invasive plant," 22 Feb. 2018These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'buckthorn.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for buckthorn
buckthorn
noun
\
Medical Definition of buckthorn
: a shrub or tree of the genus Rhamnus sometimes having thorny branches and often containing purgative principles in bark or sap and producing fruits sometimes used as a source of yellow and green dyes or pigments — see cascara buckthorn
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