dead-man's-fingers

noun, plural in form but singular or plural in construction

variants: or dead-men's-fingers

Definition of dead-man's-fingers

1 : any of several European orchids (genus Orchis) having pale digitate roots (especially O. mascula, O. maculata, O. latifolia, and O. morio)

2 : any of several other plants: such as

a : bird's-foot trefoil sense 1a

b : cuckoopint

c : meadow foxtail grass

3 : the fruiting bodies of fungi of the genus Xylaria (especially X. polymorpha)

4a : a fleshy alcyonarian (Alcyonium digitatum) usually lobed or digitate in form

b : a white or grayish digitately branching sponge (Chalina arbuscula) of the Atlantic coast

5 : dead man

Learn More about dead-man's-fingers

Dictionary Entries near dead-man's-fingers

dead-man's-fingers

dead man's float

deadman's handle

Statistics for dead-man's-fingers

Look-up Popularity

Comments on dead-man's-fingers

What made you want to look up dead-man's-fingers? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

WORD OF THE DAY

magniloquent

grandiloquent, ostentatious, or bombastic

Test Your Vocabulary

Original Meanings Quiz

Which of the following is the earliest known sense of the word awe?

How Strong Is Your Vocabulary?

Test your vocabulary with our 10-question quiz!

TAKE THE QUIZ

SCRABBLE® Sprint

Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.

TAKE THE QUIZ

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games