hound's-tongue: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Very lowFormal/Botanical
Quick answer
What does “hound's-tongue” mean?
A Eurasian plant of the borage family, with large soft leaves and clusters of reddish-purple flowers.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A Eurasian plant of the borage family, with large soft leaves and clusters of reddish-purple flowers.
Also refers to the plant genus Cynoglossum, known for their rough, tongue-shaped leaves and burr-like seeds. Historically, it was believed to repel dogs.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in usage; both regions use the term in botanical contexts.
Connotations
Technical/botanical, with no regional emotional or stylistic connotation differences.
Frequency
Extremely rare in general discourse in both regions, limited to botanical/wildflower guides.
Grammar
How to Use “hound's-tongue” in a Sentence
The [ADJECTIVE] hound's-tongue [VERB].Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “hound's-tongue” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The meadow was hound's-tongued with patches of the purple weed.
American English
- The pasture became hound's-tongued after a wet spring.
adjective
British English
- The hound's-tongue infestation required management.
American English
- We noticed a hound's-tongue plant by the trailhead.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not used.
Academic
Used in botany, ecology, and phytochemistry texts.
Everyday
Virtually never used unless discussing wild plants.
Technical
Used as a specific binomial (Cynoglossum) in taxonomy and agronomy (often as a weed).
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “hound's-tongue”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “hound's-tongue”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “hound's-tongue”
- Misspelling as 'hounds tongue' (without apostrophe or hyphen).
- Confusing it with 'houndstooth', a fabric pattern.
- Using it as a general term for any rough-leaved plant.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, it contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids which can be toxic to livestock if consumed in large quantities.
It is highly unlikely unless you are specifically discussing botany or identifying wild plants.
Hound's-tongue is a plant. Houndstooth is a distinctive checked pattern often used in fabric.
The name derives from the shape and rough texture of its leaves, which were thought to look and feel like a dog's tongue.
A Eurasian plant of the borage family, with large soft leaves and clusters of reddish-purple flowers.
Hound's-tongue is usually formal/botanical in register.
Hound's-tongue: in British English it is pronounced /ˈhaʊndz tʌŋ/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈhaʊndz tʌŋ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “None”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a HOUND sticking out its TONGUE—the plant's leaves are shaped like it and are rough like a dog's tongue.
Conceptual Metaphor
PLANT PARTS ARE ANIMAL BODY PARTS (leaves are tongues).
Practice
Quiz
What is 'hound's-tongue' primarily?