hound's-tongue Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun perennial shrub of North America having coarse tongue-shaped leaves and pale-blue to purple flowers
    Cynoglossum virginaticum.
  2. noun biennial shrub of Europe and western Asia having coarse tongue-shaped leaves and dark reddish-purple flowers
    Cynoglossum officinale.

WordNet

Hound's"-tongue` noun
Etymology
AS. hundes tunge.
Definitions
  1. (Bot.) A biennial weed (Cynoglossum officinale), with soft tongue-shaped leaves, and an offensive odor. It bears nutlets covered with barbed or hooked prickles. Called also dog's-tongue.

Webster 1913