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weed 1 (wēd)
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n.
1. A plant considered undesirable, unattractive, or troublesome, especially one that grows where it is not wanted and often grows or spreads fast or takes the place of desired plants.
2. An aquatic plant or alga, especially seaweed.
3. Something considered useless, detrimental, or worthless.
4. Slang
a. Tobacco.
b. A cigarette.
c. Marijuana.
v. weed·ed, weed·ing, weeds
v.tr.
1. To clear of weeds: weeded the flowerbeds.
2. To remove (weeds). Often used with out: weed out dandelions.
3. To eliminate as unsuitable or unwanted. Often used with out: weed out unqualified applicants.
v.intr.
To remove weeds.
[Middle English, from Old English wēod, herb, grass, weed.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
 
weed 2 (wēd)
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n.
1. A token of mourning, as a black band worn on a man's hat or sleeve.
2. weeds The black mourning clothes of a widow.
3. often weeds Archaic An article of clothing; a garment.
[Middle English wede, garment, from Old English wǣd.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
 

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

    Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

    Indo-European Roots

    Semitic Roots

    The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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