wolfsbane

noun

wolfs·​bane ˈwu̇lfs-ˌbān How to pronounce wolfsbane (audio)
: any of several monkshoods (especially Aconitum napellus or A. lycoctonum)

Examples of wolfsbane in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
So, when the full moon grows bright, and the wolfsbane blooms, mild-mannered Talbot transforms into one of the Universal Monsters' most dangerous villains: the Wolf Man. Steven Thrash, EW.com, 19 Oct. 2023 In the Harry Potter books, werewolf Remus Lupin drinks a potion made of wolfsbane each month to avoid harming anyone. Annie Berman, Anchorage Daily News, 10 Aug. 2023 While there were many poisons in the Merovingian arsenal, there were only two that could kill on contact: wolfsbane and snake venom. Shelley Puhak, Smithsonian Magazine, 6 Jan. 2022 Turns out, Joe had figured out what Love had been growing in the garden all along (wolfsbane) and had kept some of it on hand. Neha Prakash, Marie Claire, 20 Oct. 2021

Word History

First Known Use

1548, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of wolfsbane was in 1548

Dictionary Entries Near wolfsbane

Cite this Entry

“Wolfsbane.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wolfsbane. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

Medical Definition

wolfsbane

noun
wolfs·​bane ˈwu̇lfs-ˌbān How to pronounce wolfsbane (audio)
: a plant of the genus Aconitum
especially : a monkshood (A. napellus) that is the source of the drug aconite

More from Merriam-Webster on wolfsbane

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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