Illustration of poison ivy
- poison ivy 1a
poison ivy
noun
1
a
: a climbing plant (Toxicodendron radicans synonym Rhus radicans) of the cashew family that is especially common in the eastern and central U.S., that has ternate leaves, greenish flowers, and white berries, and that produces an irritating oil causing a usually intensely itching skin rash
b
: any of several plants closely related to poison ivy
2
: a skin rash caused by poison ivy
Examples of poison ivy in a Sentence
I got poison ivy all over my arm.
Recent Examples on the Web
There was poison ivy in the front yard, the sidewalk had cracks, and there was garbage everywhere.
—
Celia Fernandez, CNBC, 25 Apr. 2025
But scratching an itch, especially one as intense as that caused by poison ivy, is nigh irresistible — and feels so satisfying.
—Avery Hurt, Discover Magazine, 29 Mar. 2025
Oftentimes, so is the tough shell that surrounds the nut, which contains a toxic resin called urushiol, which is also found in poison ivy.
—New Atlas, 26 Mar. 2025
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Ever had poison ivy?
—Avery Hurt, Discover Magazine, 29 Mar. 2025
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Celia Fernandez, CNBC, 25 Apr. 2025
But scratching an itch, especially one as intense as that caused by poison ivy, is nigh irresistible — and feels so satisfying.
—Avery Hurt, Discover Magazine, 29 Mar. 2025
Oftentimes, so is the tough shell that surrounds the nut, which contains a toxic resin called urushiol, which is also found in poison ivy.
—New Atlas, 26 Mar. 2025
Newsletter Sign up for our email newsletter for the latest science news
Listen to this Article
Ever had poison ivy?
—Avery Hurt, Discover Magazine, 29 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for poison ivy
Cite this Entry
“Poison ivy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/poison%20ivy. Accessed 2 May. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
poison ivy
noun
1
a
: a climbing plant of the genus Rhus (R. radicans synonym Toxicodendron radicans) that is especially common in the eastern and central United States, that has leaves in groups of three, greenish flowers, and white berries, and that produces an acutely irritating oil causing a usually intensely itching skin rash
b
: any of several plants closely related to poison ivy
especially
: poison oak sense 1b
2
: a skin rash produced by poison ivy
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