weed

1 of 3

noun (1)

ˈwēd How to pronounce weed (audio)
1
a(1)
: a plant that is not valued where it is growing and is usually of vigorous growth
especially : one that tends to overgrow or choke out more desirable plants
(2)
: a weedy growth of plants
b
: an aquatic plant
especially : seaweed
c(1)
: tobacco products
(2)
: marijuana
2
a
: an obnoxious growth, thing, or person
b
: something like a weed in detrimental quality
especially : an animal unfit to breed from

weed

2 of 3

verb

weeded; weeding; weeds

intransitive verb

: to remove weeds or something harmful

transitive verb

1
a
: to clear of weeds
weed a garden
b(1)
: to free from something hurtful or offensive
(2)
: to remove the less desirable portions of
2
: to get rid of (something harmful or superfluous)
—often used with out

weed

3 of 3

noun (2)

1
: garment
—often used in plural
2
a
: dress worn as a sign of mourning (as by a widow)
—usually used in plural
b
: a band of crape worn on a man's hat as a sign of mourning
—usually used in plural

Synonyms

Noun (2)

See all Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus 

Examples of weed in a Sentence

Verb We need to weed the garden. Noun (2) a poor, miserable beggar clad in tattered weeds
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.
Noun
First on the docket is oil heir and weed baron Cal Thresher. —Sean T. Collins, Vulture, 17 Nov. 2024 Killer gun stand: Narrow weed strip between two blocks of woods. —Michael Hanback, Outdoor Life, 7 Nov. 2024
Verb
New research from Ethan Burris, professor of management at the McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas at Austin, sheds light on how to weed through all the data, make sure workers feel heard, and turn employee insights into real results. —Harvard Business Review, 29 Oct. 2024 So head out into your garden and start raking, pruning, and weeding. —Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 8 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for weed 

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English, from Old English wēod weed, herb; akin to Old Saxon wiod weed

Noun (2)

Middle English wede, from Old English wǣd, gewǣde; akin to Old Norse vāth cloth, clothing and perhaps to Lithuanian austi to weave

First Known Use

Noun (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Noun (2)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of weed was before the 12th century

Phrases Containing weed

Dictionary Entries Near weed

WEE

weed

weedage

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Weed.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/weed. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.

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Kids Definition

weed

1 of 2 noun
ˈwēd How to pronounce weed (audio)
: a plant that tends to grow thickly where it is not wanted and to choke out more desirable plants

weed

2 of 2 verb
1
: to remove weeds from
weed a garden
2
: to get rid of (something unwanted)
weed out the troublemakers
weeder noun

More from Merriam-Webster on weed

Nglish: Translation of weed for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of weed for Arabic Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about weed

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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