bloodroot

noun

blood·​root ˈbləd-ˌrüt 

-ˌru̇t

: a plant (Sanguinaria canadensis) of the poppy family having a red root and sap and bearing a solitary lobed leaf and white flower in early spring

called also sanguinaria

Examples of bloodroot in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Roughly 20 miles of the Towpath sit inside the park, passing through small towns and meadows full of wildflowers, like trillium and bloodroot, with deer and foxes along the way. —Graham Averill, Outside Online, 21 Jan. 2025

That group includes shorter woodland plants, like mayapple and bloodroot. —Susan Degrane, Chicago Tribune, 29 Oct. 2024

Fragile white bloodroot flowers have popped out along the edge of our woods. —Rita Nader Heikenfeld, The Enquirer, 22 Mar. 2024

Some of the first blooms to appear in Shenandoah National Park each spring are the bright purple hepatica and cheery white-and-yellow bloodroot flowers. —Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 23 Mar. 2023

Word History

First Known Use

1724, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

bloodroot

noun

blood·​root ˈbləd-ˌrüt 

-ˌru̇t

: a plant related to the poppies, having a red root and sap, and bearing a single leaf and a white flower in early spring

Medical Definition

bloodroot

noun

blood·​root -ˌrüt  -ˌru̇t 

: an herb (Sanguinaria canadensis) of the poppy family that has red sap and has a rootstock and roots used as an emetic and expectorant