ˈ ̷ ̷ˌ ̷ ̷ noun
Etymology: poke (IV) + weed
: a tall coarse American perennial herb ( Phytolacca americana ) having young shoots that are edible, a thick fleshy poisonous root that yields emetic and purgative extracts, a smooth fairly succulent stem that ranges in color from green to purplish, large simple smooth leaves, small greenish white racemose flowers, and fleshy dark purple berries that contain poisonous seeds and yield emetic and purgative extracts and a crimson juice used in making an ink ; broadly : a plant of the genus Phytolacca