poison ivy

Definition of poison ivy

1a : a climbing plant (Toxicodendron radicans synonym Rhus radicans) of the cashew family that is especially common in the eastern and central U.S., that has ternate leaves, greenish flowers, and white berries, and that produces an irritating oil causing a usually intensely itching skin rash

b : any of several plants closely related to poison ivy

2 : a skin rash caused by poison ivy

Examples of poison ivy in a Sentence

I got poison ivy all over my arm.

Recent Examples on the Web The pieces will be on display along with other elements that cause people to scratch, like poison ivy and mosquitoes. — Elisha Anderson, Detroit Free Press, "Metro Detroit woodworker strikes balance of 'ridiculous, clever, funny and kind of cool'," 29 Dec. 2019 Common irritants include nickel, plants like poison ivy, and harsh cleaning agents like bleach. — Korin Miller, SELF, "9 Questions That Will Help You Decode That Skin Rash," 22 Mar. 2019 Take the standard care with poison ivy, which is still toxic in its naked winter state. — Washington Post, "The winter garden is full of promise and productivity. Don’t let it go to waste.," 20 Nov. 2019 Barkeim ran through a few more points for locating a good campsite (don’t put your shelter in a dry riverbed, check for poison ivy, look for resources). — Frank Bures, Outside Online, "How a Midwestern Survival Camp Is Uniting the Outdoors," 17 Oct. 2019 California Porterville: Visitors to Sequoia National Forest in the southern Sierra Nevada area are being cautioned about the growth of a native plant that can cause severe irritation similar to poison oak and poison ivy. — USA TODAY, "Rocket’s last blast, Alaska drought, million-dollar ham: News from around our 50 states," 23 Aug. 2019 All the thorny bushes, poison ivy and dead ends on this seven-month trek have taken a toll. — Rich Campbell, chicagotribune.com, "Column: In the Bears’ kicker search, the destination justifies the journey. But with the season approaching, can they find their way?," 21 Aug. 2019 Unfortunately for many of us, our plant knowledge begins with poison ivy and ends with marijuana leaves. — Andrea Sachs, chicagotribune.com, "Forest to table: An invitation to a DIY dining adventure in Sweden," 12 Aug. 2019 Beneath the leafy canopy, healthy tangles of canyon grape vines mingle with insidious clumps of poison ivy. — Mare Czinar, azcentral, "Forest hike near Payson leads to a shady tangle of springs," 26 July 2019

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

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Last Updated

5 Feb 2020

Cite this Entry

“Poison ivy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/poison%20ivy. Accessed 28 Feb. 2020.

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More Definitions for poison ivy

poison ivy

noun

English Language Learners Definition of poison ivy

: a common plant in the central and eastern U.S. that has leaves which cause a very itchy and painful rash on your skin if you touch them

: the rash that is caused by poison ivy

See the full definition for poison ivy in the English Language Learners Dictionary

poison ivy

noun

Kids Definition of poison ivy

1 : a usually climbing plant that has leaves with three leaflets and can cause an itchy painful rash when touched

2 : a skin rash caused by poison ivy

poison ivy

noun

\ -ˈī-vē

Medical Definition of poison ivy

1a : a climbing plant of the genus Rhus (R. radicans synonym Toxicodendron radicans) that is especially common in the eastern and central United States, that has leaves in groups of three, greenish flowers, and white berries, and that produces an acutely irritating oil causing a usually intensely itching skin rash

b : any of several plants closely related to poison ivy especially : poison oak sense 1b

2 : a skin rash produced by poison ivy

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