dogfennel

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   any of several strong-smelling, fennel-like plants, especially the North American weed Eupatorium capillifolium

   Dogfennel grew thick beneath the cabin window.

2. 2
   noun

   the ill-smelling chamomile Anthemis cotula, also called mayweed

   The farmer pulled dogfennel from the edge of the field before it seeded.

From Middle English dogfynell, formed from dog + fennel. Dog- often marks a plant as inferior, wild, or merely resembling the plant named by the second element; these species smell like fennel but are not culinary fennel.

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