mayweed
|may-weed|
/ˈmeɪwiːd/
a weed that blooms in May
Etymology
'mayweed' originates from English, specifically the compound 'May' + 'weed', where 'May' referred to the month of May (the time when some of these plants flower) and 'weed' meant an unwanted plant.
'mayweed' developed in English by combining the name of the month 'May' with the common noun 'weed'; it has been used in English herbals and field guides since at least the 17th century to denote plants that bloom around May.
Initially it simply meant 'a weed that flowers in May', but over time it came to be used as a common name for several specific species in the daisy family.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
any of several annual or perennial herbaceous plants in the daisy family (Asteraceae), often small, daisy-like wildflowers commonly regarded as weeds.
Mayweed grows abundantly in disturbed soil along roads and fields.
Synonyms
Noun 2
specifically, certain species such as Anthemis cotula (stinking mayweed), a foul-smelling, invasive weed.
Stinking mayweed, a type of mayweed, is often considered a noxious weed in crops.
Synonyms
Noun 3
applied to other related species such as Tripleurospermum inodorum (scentless mayweed) or Matricaria discoidea (pineappleweed) — names vary by region.
Pineappleweed, sometimes called mayweed, gives off a faint fruity scent when crushed.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/10/07 07:15