Illustration of skunk cabbage
- skunk cabbage b
skunk cabbage
noun
: any of several early-blooming perennial herbs of the arum family that occur in shaded, wet to swampy areas and have a fetid odor suggestive of a skunk:
a
: one (Symplocarpus foetidus) of eastern North America and eastern Asia that has a hoodlike, brownish-purple spathe
b
: one (Lysichiton americanus synonym L. americanum) chiefly of the Pacific coast region of North America that has a large yellow spathe
c
: one (Lysichiton camtschatcensis synonym L. camtschatcense) of eastern Asia that has a large white spathe
Examples of skunk cabbage in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Other foliage, like the skunk cabbage native to the region, is already in full bloom.
—
Dharna Noor, BostonGlobe.com, 16 Feb. 2023
For decades, Disney and Florida politicians have had a symbiotic relationship — kind of like dung beetles and skunk cabbage.
—Orlando Sentinel Staff, Orlando Sentinel, 28 Dec. 2022
Natural foods such as acorns, skunk cabbage and grubs are abundant and bears’ reproductive success and the survivorship of cubs are both high.
—Jesse Leavenworth, courant.com, 25 Mar. 2022
The Fab Five feasted on plants gathered in season from the wild — skunk cabbage, saskatoon berries and dandelions — plus fish, moose and deer.
—New York Times, 23 July 2021
The sandy soil supports unique plants like skunk cabbage and cinnamon ferns.
—Susan Degrane, chicagotribune.com, 8 July 2021
But also hickory, chestnut, elms and birches, and joe-pye weed, aster, marsh marigold, skunk cabbage, snakeweed.
—Matthew Cicanese and Erika Reiter, Smithsonian Magazine, 10 Apr. 2020
Calabrese highlights the pungent skunk cabbage, a plant that produces its own heat in an effort to attract early pollinators.
—cleveland, 27 Mar. 2020
Even the skunk cabbage, Druse says, has its allure.
—Washington Post, 4 Dec. 2019
See More
Dharna Noor, BostonGlobe.com, 16 Feb. 2023
For decades, Disney and Florida politicians have had a symbiotic relationship — kind of like dung beetles and skunk cabbage.
—Orlando Sentinel Staff, Orlando Sentinel, 28 Dec. 2022
Natural foods such as acorns, skunk cabbage and grubs are abundant and bears’ reproductive success and the survivorship of cubs are both high.
—Jesse Leavenworth, courant.com, 25 Mar. 2022
The Fab Five feasted on plants gathered in season from the wild — skunk cabbage, saskatoon berries and dandelions — plus fish, moose and deer.
—New York Times, 23 July 2021
The sandy soil supports unique plants like skunk cabbage and cinnamon ferns.
—Susan Degrane, chicagotribune.com, 8 July 2021
But also hickory, chestnut, elms and birches, and joe-pye weed, aster, marsh marigold, skunk cabbage, snakeweed.
—Matthew Cicanese and Erika Reiter, Smithsonian Magazine, 10 Apr. 2020
Calabrese highlights the pungent skunk cabbage, a plant that produces its own heat in an effort to attract early pollinators.
—cleveland, 27 Mar. 2020
Even the skunk cabbage, Druse says, has its allure.
—Washington Post, 4 Dec. 2019
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'skunk cabbage.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1751, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near skunk cabbage
Cite this Entry
“Skunk cabbage.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/skunk%20cabbage. Accessed 27 Sep. 2023.
Copy Citation
Kids Definition
skunk cabbage
noun
: either of two North American herbs that grow in wet areas, bloom in late winter or early spring, and have an odor like that of a skunk
More from Merriam-Webster on skunk cabbage
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about skunk cabbage
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share