belladonna
noun
bel·la·don·na
ˌbe-lə-ˈdä-nə 
1
: an Old World poisonous plant (Atropa belladonna) of the nightshade family having purple or green bell-shaped flowers, glossy black berries, and root and leaves that yield atropine
called also deadly nightshade
2
: a medicinal extract (such as atropine) from the belladonna plant
Examples of belladonna in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Amaryllis flowers are a small genus of flowers with two different species — with Amaryllis belladonna being the more popular one.
—
Ryan Brennan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 Jan. 2025
Their relatives include daffodils (Narcissus), naked ladies (Amaryllis belladonna), and the alliums, including edible garlic, leeks, onion, and the ornamental alliums.
—Erica Browne Grivas, Better Homes & Gardens, 24 Nov. 2024
Consuming belladonna can affect your nervous system.
—Mary Choy, Health, 9 Oct. 2024
For instance, in 2016, the FDA linked improperly diluted belladonna in homeopathic teething products to the deaths of 10 infants and the poisonings of more than 400 others.
—Beth Mole, Ars Technica, 19 Sep. 2024
See All Example Sentences for belladonna
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Ryan Brennan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 Jan. 2025
Their relatives include daffodils (Narcissus), naked ladies (Amaryllis belladonna), and the alliums, including edible garlic, leeks, onion, and the ornamental alliums.
—Erica Browne Grivas, Better Homes & Gardens, 24 Nov. 2024
Consuming belladonna can affect your nervous system.
—Mary Choy, Health, 9 Oct. 2024
For instance, in 2016, the FDA linked improperly diluted belladonna in homeopathic teething products to the deaths of 10 infants and the poisonings of more than 400 others.
—Beth Mole, Ars Technica, 19 Sep. 2024
See All Example Sentences for belladonna
Cite this Entry
“Belladonna.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/belladonna. Accessed 9 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
belladonna
noun
bel·la·don·na
ˌbel-ə-ˈdän-ə
1
: a European poisonous herb of the nightshade family with purple or green bell-shaped flowers, glossy black berries, and a root and leaves that are a source of atropine
called also deadly nightshade
2
: a drug or extract from the belladonna
Etymology
from Italian bella donna, literally, "beautiful lady"; so called because the extract was formerly used in cosmetics
Medical Definition
belladonna
noun
bel·la·don·na
ˌbel-ə-ˈdän-ə
1
: an Old World poisonous plant of the genus Atropa (A. belladonna) having purple or green flowers, glossy black berries, and a root and leaves that yield atropine
called also deadly nightshade
2
: a medicinal preparation (as atropine) extracted from the belladonna plant and containing anticholinergic alkaloids
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