poison ivy

noun

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

Both poison ivy and oak sprout leaves with three leaflets, and sometimes include berries. — Caroline Picard, Good Housekeeping, "How to Get Rid of a Poison Ivy Rash and Stop Itching Like Crazy," 13 July 2018 Brush up against poison ivy leaves, and almost 90% of adults will develop an angry, red rash. — Caroline Picard, Good Housekeeping, "How to Get Rid of a Poison Ivy Rash and Stop Itching Like Crazy," 13 July 2018 Eco-Goats, which offers its services to clear invasive species, overgrown brush and difficult-to-handle plants such as poison ivy, poison oak and brambles, has been in business for about 10 years. — Marissa J. Lang, Washington Post, "‘They’re kind of mesmerizing’: These nine goats draw spectators while clearing an overgrown Maryland park," 25 May 2018 Like poison ivy, poison oak causes a similar uncomfortable reaction due to the urushiol oils present on the plant. — Caroline Picard, Good Housekeeping, "QUIZ: Can You Identify These Dangerous Summer Plants and Bugs?," 3 Aug. 2018 This is a major way to distinguish phytophotodermatitis from contact dermatitis, an allergic skin reaction that can happen in response to the more usual suspects such as poison ivy, oak, or sumac. — Zahra Barnes, SELF, "Beware of Phytophotodermatitis, The Weird Sun Reaction That Could Definitely Ruin Your Summer," 18 Aug. 2018 Giant hogweed, which is native to eastern Europe, produces a sap that is considered more dangerous than poison ivy, and can cause blindness. — Mark Price, charlotteobserver, "This invasive European plant can blind you. It’s now growing in NC.," 12 July 2018 To minimize the symptoms of poison ivy, use calamine lotion or products containing aluminum acetate. — Erik Polan, Philly.com, "Q&A: How do I know if I have poison ivy?," 8 June 2018 The best way to prevent contracting poison ivy or oak is to avoid the plants entirely. — Erik Polan, Philly.com, "Q&A: How do I know if I have poison ivy?," 8 June 2018

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

30 Apr 2019

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The first known use of poison ivy was in 1782

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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