death cap

noun

: a very poisonous mushroom (Amanita phalloides) of deciduous woods of North America and Europe that varies in color from pure white to olive or yellow and has a prominent volva at the base

called also death cup

Examples of death cap in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
But death cap mushrooms are found across California. Don Sweeney, Sacbee.com, 28 Jan. 2026 In the Bay Area, there are two mushrooms that are unsafe for any creature, and those are the death cap (Amanita phalloides) and the western destroying angel (Amanita ocreata). Joan Morris, Mercury News, 26 Jan. 2026 Those in the area who have ingested a death cap mushroom should contact the CPCS hotline at 1-800-222-1222 and seek medical attention right away, health officials advised. Amy McGorry, FOXNews.com, 26 Jan. 2026 Who is mistakenly eating the death cap People who have accidentally consumed the death cap were usually foraging for mushrooms in the wilderness, either alone or with a group, officials say. Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 17 Jan. 2026 The cases have been concentrated in the Monterey Bay and San Francisco Bay Area, but officials noted death cap mushrooms can be found across California, particularly near oaks, other hardwoods and some pines. Tim Fang, CBS News, 16 Jan. 2026 Heavy rain has caused death cap mushrooms, including the Western destroying angel mushroom — one of the deadliest fungi — to bloom. David Matthews, New York Daily News, 15 Jan. 2026 Recent heavy rains have caused death cap mushrooms to flourish in the wild, including one of the deadliest fungi, the Western destroying angel mushroom, according to the California Department of Public Health (CDPH). Bill Hutchinson, ABC News, 15 Jan. 2026 The California Department of Public Health is advising people to avoid picking and eating wild mushrooms during this high-risk season, as death cap mushrooms are abundant across the Northern California and the Central Coast regions. Noe Padilla, USA Today, 15 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1925, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of death cap was in 1925

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Death cap.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/death%20cap. Accessed 31 Jan. 2026.

Kids Definition

death cap

noun
: a very poisonous mushroom that varies in color from pure white to olive to yellow and has an obvious swollen covering about the base

called also death cup

Medical Definition

death cap

noun
: a very poisonous mushroom of the genus Amanita (A. phalloides) of deciduous woods of North America and Europe that varies in color from pure white to olive or yellow and has a prominent volva at the base

called also death cup

see thioctic acid
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