pigweed

noun

pig·​weed ˈpig-ˌwēd How to pronounce pigweed (audio)
: any of various vigorous weedy plants especially of the amaranth family

Examples of pigweed in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The list of allergens includes – but is not limited to — latex, gold, pollen (ragweed, cockleweed and pigweed are especially bad), penicillin, insect venom, peanuts, papayas, jellyfish stings, perfume, eggs, the feces of house mites, pecans, salmon, beef and nickel. — Carl Zimmer, Discover Magazine, 20 July 2015 Ultimately, Roundup was no match for the pigweed’s evolutionary vitality. — New York Times, 11 Aug. 2021

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1801, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of pigweed was circa 1801

Rhymes for pigweed

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Browse Nearby Words

pigwash
pigweed
pigweed family
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Cite this Entry

“Pigweed.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pigweed. Accessed 1 Apr. 2025.

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Kids Definition

pigweed

noun
pig·​weed -ˌwēd How to pronounce pigweed (audio)
: any of various weedy plants especially of the two families to which the goosefoots and amaranths belong

Medical Definition

pigweed

noun
pig·​weed ˈpig-ˌwēd How to pronounce pigweed (audio)
: any of several plants of the genus Amaranthus (as A. retroflexus and A. hybridus) with pollen that acts as a hay fever allergen

More from Merriam-Webster on pigweed

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about pigweed

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