a plant, possibly a type of weed or herb, associated with witchcraft or folk magic in traditional herbalism.
Compound of 'hag' and 'weed,' referring to plants believed to have magical properties or used in witchcraft; the specific botanical identity varies by region and historical period.
Naming plants with 'hag' prefixes was a way people mentally organized dangerous or powerful herbs—'hagweed' probably referred to plants that were genuinely poisonous but whose toxins people attributed to witchcraft rather than chemistry.
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