Illustration of milkweed
milkweed
noun
milk·weed
ˈmilk-ˌwēd 
: any of various plants that secrete latex
especially
: any of a genus (Asclepias of the family Apocynaceae, the dogbane family) of erect chiefly perennial herbs with milky juice and umbellate flowers
Examples of milkweed in a Sentence
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As global temperatures rise, suitable milkweed habitats may shift toward the poles, increasing the distances monarchs must travel.
—
Joseph Epstein, Newsweek, 11 Dec. 2024
This decline is attributed to several factors, including habitat loss and a reduction in essential forage, such as milkweed.
—Brandi D. Addison, Austin American-Statesman, 10 Dec. 2024
Research in California’s Central Valley by the Xerces Society and University of Nevada-Reno detected 64 different kinds of pesticides in milkweed leaves, the food source for monarch caterpillars.
—Sharmeen Morrison, The Mercury News, 12 Jan. 2025
The listing would prohibit some activities that destroy milkweed at times when monarchs are present, including the destruction or conversion of wild meadows with milkweed plants on federal lands.
—Austin Corona, The Arizona Republic, 12 Dec. 2024
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Joseph Epstein, Newsweek, 11 Dec. 2024
This decline is attributed to several factors, including habitat loss and a reduction in essential forage, such as milkweed.
—Brandi D. Addison, Austin American-Statesman, 10 Dec. 2024
Research in California’s Central Valley by the Xerces Society and University of Nevada-Reno detected 64 different kinds of pesticides in milkweed leaves, the food source for monarch caterpillars.
—Sharmeen Morrison, The Mercury News, 12 Jan. 2025
The listing would prohibit some activities that destroy milkweed at times when monarchs are present, including the destruction or conversion of wild meadows with milkweed plants on federal lands.
—Austin Corona, The Arizona Republic, 12 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for milkweed
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Cite this Entry
“Milkweed.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/milkweed. Accessed 8 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
milkweed
noun
milk·weed
ˈmil-ˌkwēd
: any of various herbs with milky juice and flowers usually in dense clusters
Medical Definition
milkweed
noun
milk·weed
ˈmilk-ˌwēd
: any of various plants that secrete latex
especially
: any plant of the genus Asclepias (family Asclepiadaceae, the milkweed family) including several whose dried roots were formerly used medicinally
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