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castor-oil plant
noun
cas·tor-oil plant
: a tropical Old World herb (Ricinus communis) widely grown as an ornamental or for its oil-rich castor beans
Examples of castor-oil plant in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
For florists, the danger isn’t metaphorical; Thompson recalls a colleague who was momentarily blinded when handling a castor-oil plant.
—Ligaya Mishan, New York Times, 27 Aug. 2020
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'castor-oil plant.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1836, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near castor-oil plant
Cite this Entry
“Castor-oil plant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/castor-oil%20plant. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.
Kids Definition
castor-oil plant
noun
: a tropical Old World herb widely grown as an ornamental plant or for its oil-rich seeds
Medical Definition
castor-oil plant
noun
: a tropical Old World herb of the genus Ricinus (R. communis) widely grown as an ornamental or for its oil-rich castor beans that are a source of castor oil
More from Merriam-Webster on castor-oil plant
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about castor-oil plant
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