burdock

noun bur·dock \ ˈbər-ˌdäk \

|Updated on: 8 Aug 2018

Definition of burdock

: any of a genus (Arctium) of coarse composite herbs bearing globular flower heads with prickly bracts

Recent Examples of burdock from the Web

In a small bowl, combine burdock and enough cold water to cover.

— eleanore park, WSJ, "Comfort Food That Brings the Whole Table Together," 9 May 2018
Formulated with yellow dock and burdock botanical extracts that support the body’s ability to release and flush out toxins, these twice-a-day pills may help decrease inflammation and in turn reduce spots and bacteria on the skin.

— jenna rennert, Vogue, "6 Ways to Get Rid of Acne for Good This Summer," 8 July 2018
Six years later, the site seethes with life, barely visible trails cutting through rampant sedge and mallow, cow parsley and burdock.

— The Economist, "Brexit is reverberating in British literature," 5 July 2018
Push beef and onions to the side and add drained burdock.

— eleanore park, WSJ, "Comfort Food That Brings the Whole Table Together," 9 May 2018
These oil-regulating results are all thanks to a mixture of pure herbal extracts (like burdock, ivy, and gentian), as well as free-floating marigold petals, which are placed in the bottle by hand.

— rebecca norris, Allure, "Kiehl's Sells a Bottle of Its Calendula Toner Every 12 Seconds," 3 May 2018
In bibimbap, shiitakes, carrots, spinach and burdock are fanned out over rice and crowned by an egg with a still-quaking yolk.

— ligaya mishan, New York Times, "At Ejen in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, a Mother’s Touch Infuses the Menu," 22 Mar. 2018
The tempura is all fantastic, whether fishcake, burdock root, shrimp or eel.

— stephanie cha, latimes.com, "For your next fresh soba noodle fix, head to Mimimyunga in Koreatown," 19 Mar. 2018
There is a superb one with fresh kale and fried burdock in an unexpectedly Southeast Asian lemongrass dressing, and another of cabbage and roasted duck stirred with, yes, mayonnaise.

— pete wells, New York Times, "Masa’s Chef Comes Out From Behind the Truffles, at Tetsu," 20 Feb. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'burdock.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of burdock

15th century

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year

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BURDOCK Defined for Kids

burdock

noun bur·dock \ ˈbər-ˌdäk \

Definition of burdock for Students

: a tall weed related to the thistles that has prickly purplish heads of flowers

Medical Dictionary

burdock

noun bur·dock \ ˈbər-ˌdäk \

medical Definition of burdock

1 : any of a genus (Arctium) of coarse composite herbs bearing globular flower heads with prickly bracts and including one (A. lappa) that has an edible root used as a vegetable and in herbal medicine

2 or burdock root : the edible root of the burdock (Arctium lappa)