Colk

/koʊk/ noun

Definition

An archaic or dialectal term for the charlock plant, a wild mustard weed that grows in grain fields.

Etymology

From Old English and Middle English 'colc' or 'colk,' possibly related to Old Norse roots; the exact origin is uncertain but may relate to similar plant names across Germanic languages.

Kelly Says

Charlock (colk) was such a common weed in medieval grain crops that farmers developed entire agricultural techniques just to control it, making it one of the first 'superpests' of farming history.

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