ergot

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“
He was conducting research on possible medical applications of various lysergic acid compounds derived from ergot, a fungus that develops on rye grass.

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Definitions (12)

Toggle American Heritage definitions American Heritage Dictionary (3)

  1. noun A fungus (Claviceps purpurea) that infects various cereal plants and forms compact black masses of branching filaments that replace many of the grains of the host plant.
  2. noun The disease caused by such a fungus.
  3. noun The dried sclerotia of ergot, usually obtained from rye seed and used as a source of several medicinally important alkaloids and as the basic source of lysergic acid.

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Toggle GNU Webster definitions GNU Webster's 1913 (1)

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Examples (44)

  • There has been much debate about the nature of the sacred drink, but by far the best theory states that it was a beer containing ergot, a parasite of rye that contains alkaloids from which LSD can be synthesised. —  Red Ice Creations
  • A popular idea has been that the dancers had ingested ergot, a psychotropic mould that grows on stalks of rye. —  BBC News | News Front Page | UK Edition
  • While it's true there is no fungicidal remedy for ergot, freezing weather will dry it up and a good rain will wash it off the crop, says Jeff Dahlberg, National Sorghum Producers research director.
  • Sorghum producers dealing with ergot, or honeydew, problems brought on by cool, humid fall weather should not panic.
  • American as apple pie … made with an ergot-rusted rye crust profitsbeard on January 27, 2009 at —  Hot Air » Top Picks
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This word has been looked up 88 times.

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Etymologies (3)

Toggle American Heritage etymologies American Heritage Dictionary (1)

  1. French, from Old French argot, cock's spur (from its shape).

Toggle Century etymologies Century Dictionary (2)

  1. from French ergot, also argot, a spur, the extremity of a dead branch, in botany ergot; origin unknown.
  2. Also ergat; from French ergoter (= Spanish ergotear), cavil, quibble. from ergo, from Latin ergo, therefore.
 

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/ˈərgət/
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