groundsel

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: ground=sel

CIDE DICTIONARY

groundsel, n. [OE. grundswilie, AS. grundeswylige, grundeswelge, earlier gundiswilge; gund matter, pus + swelgan to swallow. So named as being good for a running from the eye. See Swallow, v.].

 An annual composite plant (Senecio vulgaris), one of the most common and widely distributed weeds on the globe.

groundsel, n. [Ground + sill.].

 See Ground plate (a), under Ground  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

groundsel, n. any composite plant of the genus Senecio, esp. S. vulgaris, used as a food for cage-birds.

Etymology

OE grundeswylige, gund{aelig}swelgi{aelig} (perh. = pus-absorber f. gund pus, with ref. to use for poultices)