Mother-in-law Plant (Noun)
Meaning
An evergreen plant with large showy dark green leaves; contains a poison that swells the tongue and throat hence the name.
Classification
Nouns denoting plants.
Examples
- The mother-in-law plant, with its large, dark green leaves, was a staple in my grandmother's garden, but we were always warned not to touch it.
- I accidentally ingested a piece of the mother-in-law plant and my tongue started to swell instantly.
- Her gardener brought a beautiful mother-in-law plant to display at the party, completely unaware of its poisonous properties.
- The warning on the plant's label read "mother-in-law plant - highly toxic and hazardous if ingested".
- Years ago, the locals referred to the toxic plant as the "devil's tongue", but we came to know it as the mother-in-law plant.