STAR GRASS

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does star grass mean? 

• STAR GRASS (noun)
  The noun STAR GRASS has 4 senses:

1. any of several perennials of the genus Aletris having grasslike leaves and bitter roots reputed to cure colic

2. any plant of the genus Hypoxis having long grasslike leaves and yellow star-shaped flowers: Africa; Australia; southern Asia; North America

3. trailing grass native to Europe now cosmopolitan in warm regions; used for lawns and pastures especially in southern United States and India

4. perennial Australian grass having numerous long spikes arranged like the vanes of a windmill

  Familiarity information: STAR GRASS used as a noun is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• STAR GRASS (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Any of several perennials of the genus Aletris having grasslike leaves and bitter roots reputed to cure colic

Classified under:

Nouns denoting plants

Synonyms:

colic root; colicroot; crow corn; star grass; unicorn root

Hypernyms ("star grass" is a kind of...):

liliaceous plant (plant growing from a bulb or corm or rhizome or tuber)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "star grass"):

ague grass; ague root; Aletris farinosa (colicroot having a scurfy or granuliferous perianth and white flowers; southeastern United States)

Aletris aurea; yellow colicroot (colicroot with yellow-bracted racemose flowers; smaller than Aletris farinosa; southeastern United States)

Holonyms ("star grass" is a member of...):

Aletris; genus Aletris (small genus of bitter-rooted herbs of eastern North America and Asia; sometimes placed in family Melanthiaceae)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Any plant of the genus Hypoxis having long grasslike leaves and yellow star-shaped flowers: Africa; Australia; southern Asia; North America

Classified under:

Nouns denoting plants

Hypernyms ("star grass" is a kind of...):

cormous plant (plant growing from a corm)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "star grass"):

American star grass; Hypoxis hirsuta (perennial star grass of North America)

Holonyms ("star grass" is a member of...):

genus Hypoxis; Hypoxis (small plants that resemble amaryllis and that grow from a corm and bear flowers on a leafless stalk; sometimes classified as member of the family Amaryllidaceae: star grass)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Trailing grass native to Europe now cosmopolitan in warm regions; used for lawns and pastures especially in southern United States and India

Classified under:

Nouns denoting plants

Synonyms:

Bahama grass; Bermuda grass; Cynodon dactylon; devil grass; doob; kweek; scutch grass; star grass

Hypernyms ("star grass" is a kind of...):

grass (narrow-leaved green herbage: grown as lawns; used as pasture for grazing animals; cut and dried as hay)

Holonyms ("star grass" is a member of...):

Cynodon; genus Cynodon (creeping perennial grasses of tropical and southern Africa)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Perennial Australian grass having numerous long spikes arranged like the vanes of a windmill

Classified under:

Nouns denoting plants

Synonyms:

Chloris truncata; creeping windmill grass; star grass; windmill grass

Hypernyms ("star grass" is a kind of...):

finger grass (any grass of the genus Chloris; occurs in short grassland especially on waste ground or poor soils)