milkweed

noun

milk·​weed ˈmilk-ˌwēd 

: any of various plants that secrete latex

especially : any of a genus (Asclepias of the family Apocynaceae, the dogbane family) of erect chiefly perennial herbs with milky juice and umbellate flowers

Illustration of milkweed

Examples of milkweed in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Timm also raised about 100 monarchs from eggs found on milkweed on her family's property. —Caitlin Looby, jsonline.com, 25 Sep. 2025

Fall is the best time to plant spring-flowering bulbs and native plant seeds that benefit from cold stratification, like milkweed and bee balm. —Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 Sep. 2025

Try growing a butterfly garden by planting milkweed. —Clarence Schmidt, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 Sep. 2025

Her corner property, which once featured a standard lawn, now blooms with milkweeds, perennials and even fruit trees. —Eduardo Cuevas, USA Today, 4 Sep. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1592, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing milkweed

• milkweed bug
• milkweed butterfly

Rhymes for milkweed

• accede
• agreed
• airspeed
• alkyd
• bindweed
• chickweed
• concede
• decreed
• duckweed
• exceed
• flaxseed
• impede

Kids Definition

milkweed

noun

milk·​weed ˈmil-ˌkwēd 

: any of various herbs with milky juice and flowers usually in dense clusters

Medical Definition

milkweed

noun

milk·​weed ˈmilk-ˌwēd 

: any of various plants that secrete latex

especially : any plant of the genus Asclepias (family Asclepiadaceae, the milkweed family) including several whose dried roots were formerly used medicinally