noun
plantain
A low-growing weed with ribbed leaves.
A plantain spreads its ribbed leaves across a bare patch.
Etymology
The Latin plant-name is associated with planta, the sole of the foot. The resemblance of broad leaves to a footprint is the traditional explanation.
More examples
- We pull plantain from the lawn before it sets seed.
- The plantain beside the steps has narrow, deeply ribbed leaves.
- Several plantains grow among the weeds along the driveway.
Forms
plantain · plantains
Similar words
- weed
- Weed is broader and does not identify a particular plant.