Destroying angel
noun
noun ·Rare ·Advanced level
Definitions
Noun
- 1 Any of a group of four deadly toxic mushrooms in the Amanita genus: Amanita bisporigera, Amanita ocreata, Amanita verna, and Amanita virosa.
"The doctors ran some tests and confirmed I'd eaten the destroying angel. I was the third person that year to be admitted after eating one. The two before me hadn't survived."
- 2 extremely poisonous usually white fungus with a prominent cup-shaped base; differs from edible Agaricus only in its white gills wordnet
- 3 In the Hebrew Bible, an entity sent out by God on several occasions to punish opponents.
"Again, I wonder with a sudden fear whether it is likely that our good old clergyman can be wrong, and Mr. and Miss Murdstone right, and that all the angels in Heaven can be destroying angels."
- 4 fungus similar to Amanita phalloides wordnet
Example
More examples"The doctors ran some tests and confirmed I'd eaten the destroying angel. I was the third person that year to be admitted after eating one. The two before me hadn't survived."
Etymology
The mushrooms perhaps from their white angel-like appearance.