What does "chickweed" mean?
Any of several small-leaved herbs of the genera Cerastium and Stellaria.; especially common chickweed (Stellaria media), a common, edible weed in North America and Europe.
Chickweed
noun
noun ·Rare ·Advanced level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: Any of several small-leaved herbs of the genera Cerastium and Stellaria.; especially common chickweed (Stellaria media), a common, edible weed in North America and Europe.
- Grammar: chickweed is listed as noun.
- Nearest alternatives: clammy chickweed, edible herb, greens, groundcover.
- Useful contrasts: cultivated plant, inedible plant.
- Usage evidence: I look at the little sprigs of chickweed trembling among the bean shoots and I am strangely moved. Such steadfastness! Such yearning! They want to live too. That is all they ask: to have their little moment in the world.
How to use "chickweed"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "chickweed" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "chickweed" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "chickweed" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "chickweed" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "chickweed" is acting as noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "clammy chickweed" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "chickweed", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 Any of several small-leaved herbs of the genera Cerastium and Stellaria.; especially common chickweed (Stellaria media), a common, edible weed in North America and Europe. uncountable, usually
"I look at the little sprigs of chickweed trembling among the bean shoots and I am strangely moved. Such steadfastness! Such yearning! They want to live too. That is all they ask: to have their little moment in the world."
- 2 any of various plants related to the common chickweed wordnet
- 3 Any of several small-leaved herbs of the genera Cerastium and Stellaria.; Stellaria pro parte uncountable, usually
- 4 any of various plants of the genus Stellaria wordnet
- 5 Any of several small-leaved herbs of the genera Cerastium and Stellaria.; Cerastium (mouse-ear chickweed) uncountable, usually
Show 4 more definitions
- 6 Other plants of similar appearance and habit, including those of species:; Ageratum conyzoides uncountable, usually
- 7 Other plants of similar appearance and habit, including those of species:; Holosteum (jagged chickweed) uncountable, usually
- 8 Other plants of similar appearance and habit, including those of species:; Moenchia (upright chickweed) uncountable, usually
- 9 Other plants of similar appearance and habit, including those of species:; Paronychia spp. (nailwort, whitlow-wort) uncountable, usually
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
cultivated plantinedible plant
Example
"I look at the little sprigs of chickweed trembling among the bean shoots and I am strangely moved. Such steadfastness! Such yearning! They want to live too. That is all they ask: to have their little moment in the world."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "chickweed"?
Common synonyms include: clammy chickweed, edible herb, greens, groundcover, mouse ear, mouse eared chickweed.
How do you use "chickweed" in a sentence?
I look at the little sprigs of chickweed trembling among the bean shoots and I am strangely moved. Such steadfastness! Such yearning! They want to live too. That is all they ask: to have their little moment in the world.
Etymology
From Middle English chykwed, chykewode, chike wed, chikewed, chekwede, a variant of chykynwede, chekyn-wede, cheken-wede (literally “chicken-weed”), equivalent to chick + weed. Etymonline claims the name was apparently applied to many plants fit for chicken feed, which were called in Old English cicene mete (“chicken food”).