Ergot Definition

ûrgət, -gŏt
noun
The hard, reddish-brown or black, grainlike masses (sclerotia) of certain parasitic fungi (esp. genus Claviceps) that replace the kernels of rye or other cereal plants.
Webster's New World
The disease in which this occurs; specif., the disease of rye caused by a species (Claviceps purpurea) of this fungus.
Webster's New World
The dried sclerotia of the rye fungus from which several alkaloids are extracted that have the ability to contract blood vessels and smooth muscle tissue.
Webster's New World
Any of these alkaloids.
Webster's New World
Synonyms:
  • Claviceps purpurea

Other Word Forms of Ergot

Noun

Singular:
ergot
Plural:
ergots

Origin of Ergot

  • From French ergot, from Old French argot (“spur”), possibly of Transalpine Gaulish origin.

    From Wiktionary

  • French from Old French argot cock's spur (from its shape) of unknown origin

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

Ergot Sentence Examples

  • Ergot has no external action.

  • The important actions of ergot are on the blood-vessels and the uterus.

  • Ergot is the most powerful known stimulant of the pregnant uterus.

  • Botrytis, Ergot, &c. Now it is clear that if an organism gains access to all parts of a plant, and stimulates all or most of its cells to hypertrophy, we may have the latter behaving abnormallyi.e.

  • Bees carry the spores of Scierotinia as they do the pollen of the bilberries, and flies convey the conidia of ergot from grain to grain.

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Words Starting With

EERERG

Words Ending With

TOTGOT

Unscrambles

ergot

Words Starting With E and Ending With T

Starts With E & Ends With TStarts With ER & Ends With TStarts With E & Ends With OT

Word Length

5 Letter Words5 Letter Words Starting With E5 Letter Words Ending With T