What does nightshade mean?

Definitions for nightshade
ˈnaɪtˌʃeɪdnight·shade

This dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word nightshade.

Princeton's WordNet

  1. nightshadenoun

    any of numerous shrubs or herbs or vines of the genus Solanum; most are poisonous though many bear edible fruit

Wiktionary

  1. nightshadenoun

    Any of the poisonous plants belonging to the genus Solanum, especially black nightshade or woody nightshade.

  2. nightshadenoun

    Any plant of the wider Solanaceae family, including the nightshades as well as tomato, potato, eggplant, and deadly nightshade.

  3. nightshadenoun

    Belladonna or deadly nightshade, Atropa belladonna.

  4. nightshadenoun

    Any of several plants likened to nightshade, usually because of similar dark-colored berries.

  5. Etymology: Old English nihtscada, apparently corresponding to night + shade.

Samuel Johnson's Dictionary

  1. Nightshadenoun

    Etymology: niht scada , Saxon.

    The flower consists of one leaf, which is divided into five parts, and expands in form of a star: from the flower-cup rises the pointal, which afterward becomes a round, oval, soft, succulent fruit, containing many flat seeds in each. The species are nine. This the physicians have directed to be used in medicine, under the title of solanum hortense. Philip Miller.

    Deadly night-shade (belladona) a plant. The flower is bell-shaped, of one leaf, divided into five acute segments at the top, and succeeded by a globular soft fruit, divided into two cells which contain the seeds. It is a very strong poison. Philip Miller.

Wikipedia

  1. nightshade

    The Solanaceae , or nightshades, are a family of flowering plants that ranges from annual and perennial herbs to vines, lianas, epiphytes, shrubs, and trees, and includes a number of agricultural crops, medicinal plants, spices, weeds, and ornamentals. Many members of the family contain potent alkaloids, and some are highly toxic, but many—including tomatoes, potatoes, eggplant, bell and chili peppers—are used as food. The family belongs to the order Solanales, in the asterid group and class Magnoliopsida (dicotyledons). The Solanaceae consists of about 98 genera and some 2,700 species, with a great diversity of habitats, morphology and ecology. The name Solanaceae derives from the genus Solanum. The etymology of the Latin word is unclear. The name may come from a perceived resemblance of certain solanaceous flowers to the sun and its rays. At least one species of Solanum is known as the "sunberry". Alternatively, the name could originate from the Latin verb solare, meaning "to soothe", presumably referring to the soothing pharmacological properties of some of the psychoactive species of the family. This family has a worldwide distribution, being present on all continents except Antarctica. The greatest diversity in species is found in South America and Central America. In 2017, scientists reported on their discovery and analysis of a fossil species belonging to the living genus Physalis, Physalis infinemundi, found in the Patagonian region of Argentina, dated to 52 million years ago. The finding has pushed back the earliest appearance of the plant family Solanaceae.The Solanaceae family includes a number of commonly collected or cultivated species. The most economically important genus of the family is Solanum, which contains the potato (S. tuberosum, in fact, another common name of the family is the "potato family"), the tomato (S. lycopersicum), and the eggplant or aubergine (S. melongena). Another important genus, Capsicum, produces both chili peppers and bell peppers. The genus Physalis produces the so-called groundcherries, as well as the tomatillo (Physalis philadelphica), Physalis peruviana (Cape gooseberry) and Physalis alkekengi (Chinese lantern). The genus Lycium contains the boxthorns and the goji berry, Lycium barbarum. Nicotiana contains, among other species, tobacco. Some other important members of Solanaceae include a number of ornamental plants such as Petunia, Browallia, and Lycianthes, and sources of psychoactive alkaloids, Datura, Mandragora (mandrake), and Atropa belladonna (deadly nightshade). Certain species are widely known for their medicinal uses, their psychotropic effects, or for being poisonous.Most of the economically important genera are contained in the subfamily Solanoideae, with the exceptions of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum, Nicotianoideae) and petunia (Petunia × hybrida, Petunioideae). Many of the Solanaceae, such as tobacco and petunia, are used as model organisms in the investigation of fundamental biological questions at the cellular, molecular, and genetic levels.

ChatGPT

  1. nightshade

    Nightshade is the common name for plants in the Solanaceae family, comprising more than 2,000 species, including trees, shrubs, herbs, and vines. The name "nightshade" is often associated with poisonous or harmful plants like deadly nightshade (Atropa belladonna), but the family also includes a number of economically significant crops, such as potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants. Some features of these plants include alternating leaves, five-petal flowers, and a fruit that is typically a berry or capsule. Several species within this family contain alkaloids that can be harmful if consumed in large quantities.

Webster Dictionary

  1. Nightshadenoun

    a common name of many species of the genus Solanum, given esp. to the Solanum nigrum, or black nightshade, a low, branching weed with small white flowers and black berries reputed to be poisonous

  2. Etymology: [AS. nichtscadu.]

Wikidata

  1. Nightshade

    Nightshade is a fictional character, a comic book superheroine published by DC Comics. Created by Joe Gill and Steve Ditko, the character first appeared in Captain Atom v2 #82 originally published by Charlton Comics.

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Numerology

  1. Chaldean Numerology

    The numerical value of nightshade in Chaldean Numerology is: 9

  2. Pythagorean Numerology

    The numerical value of nightshade in Pythagorean Numerology is: 5

Examples of nightshade in a Sentence

  1. Caroline Thomason:

    Tom Brady likely excludes nightshade veggies – tomatoes, eggplant, peppers, etc. – from his diet because they also have been shown to react with our immune system, this is especially true in folks with autoimmune conditions who are more susceptible to a lower immune system.

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"nightshade." Definitions.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 21 Nov. 2024. <https://www.definitions.net/definition/nightshade>.

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