Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
Menu
dictionary thesaurus

tarweed

noun

Definition of tarweed

1 : any of various California resinous glandular plants especially of the genera Madia and Grindelia
2 : mountain misery
3 : fiddle-neck sense 2

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

  • More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
  • Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
  • Advanced search features
  • Ad free!

History and Etymology for tarweed

tar entry 1 + weed; from their stickiness and heavy smell

Keep scrolling for more

Learn More about tarweed

Dictionary Entries near tarweed

Tarumá

Tarvia

tar-water

tarweed

tarwhine

tarwood

Tarzan

Statistics for tarweed

Look-up Popularity

Comments on tarweed

What made you want to look up tarweed? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

Show Comments  Hide Comments 

WORD OF THE DAY

reverberate

Listen to the pronounciation of reverberate

to reflect, repel, echo, or resound

Get Word of the Day daily email!

Test Your Vocabulary

Original Meanings Quiz

  • rembrandt-painting-a-young-scholar-and-his-tutor
  • Which of the following is the earliest known sense of the word awe?
Spell It

Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words?

TAKE THE QUIZ
Word Winder's CrossWinder

Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.

TAKE THE QUIZ

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games