dwarf-mistletoe
|dwarf - mis - tle - toe|
🇺🇸
/ˈdwɔrfˌmɪsəlˌtoʊ/
🇬🇧
/ˈdwɔːfˌmɪs(ə)lˌtəʊ/
small parasitic mistletoe on conifers
Etymology
'dwarf-mistletoe' originates from Modern English as a compound of 'dwarf' and 'mistletoe', where 'dwarf' ultimately comes from Old English 'dweorg' and 'mistletoe' from Old English 'misteltān'.
'mistletoe' changed from Old English word 'misteltān' to Middle English 'mistelto'/'misteltoe' and eventually became the modern English word 'mistletoe'; 'dwarf' changed from Old English 'dweorg' to Middle English 'dwarf', and the two were combined in Modern English to form the compound 'dwarf-mistletoe'.
Initially, the elements referred simply to a 'small/dwarfed form of mistletoe' or a mistletoe associated with dwarfing effects on its host; over time the compound came to denote specifically the parasitic plants (notably Arceuthobium) that infect conifers and produce characteristic dwarfing and witches' brooms.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
any of several small parasitic flowering plants (especially in the genus Arceuthobium) that infest coniferous trees; they have highly reduced leaves, often cause growth deformities such as witches' brooms, and disperse seeds explosively, weakening or sometimes killing their hosts.
Forest managers monitor stands for dwarf-mistletoe because severe infestations can kill trees and reduce timber value.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2026/01/06 07:05