a small Eurasian leguminous shrub, Genista tinctoria, whose yellow flowers yield a yellow dye, formerly mixed with woad to produce the colour Kendal green
Also called: dyeweed, woadwaxen, woodwaxen
dyer's greenweed in American English
(ˈɡrinˌwid)
noun
an ornamental Eurasian shrub, Genista tinctoria, whose flowers yield a yellow dye formerly used with woad to make a permanent green dye; woadwaxen
Word origin
[1590–1600]This word is first recorded in the period 1590–1600. Other words that entered Englishat around the same time include: attack, dummy, tea, tube, volunteer