black poisonwood

noun

variants or black poison
: a tree (Metopium brownei of the family Anacardiaceae) native to southern Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, and the West Indies that has a severely irritating sap and yields a dark close-grained hardwood
He's a bushman who knows bush lore, … knows which trees shelter the howler monkeys, knows the poisonous black tarry sap from the black poisonwood and the antidote in the red gumbolimbo tree that usually grows nearby.Jane P. Marshall, The Houston Chronicle, 4 Feb. 1996

called also chechem

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!

Dictionary Entries Near black poisonwood

Cite this Entry

“Black poisonwood.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/black%20poisonwood. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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