Monkshood
/ˈmʌŋk.sʊd/noun
A highly poisonous flowering plant of the genus Aconitum, whose hood-shaped blooms resemble a monk’s cowl.
Did you know?Monkshood contains potent aconitine, a poison historically associated with wolfsbane and infamous enough to inspire legends of witches, werewolves, and enchanted weapons.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*mon-o-
“Alone or single; the root behind the later Greek idea of a solitary person”
Ancient Greek
Greek
monachos
“A solitary person; a monk”
Late Latin
Latin
monachus
“Monk, especially a solitary religious ascetic”
Old English
Old English
munuc
“Monk; a religious man living under a rule”
Old English
Old English
hōd
“A hood or covering for the head”
16th Century
English
monk’s hood
“A plant named for the helmet-like flower shape resembling a monk’s hood”
Modern English
English
monkshood
“Aconitum, a poisonous plant with hood-shaped flowers”