Meanings
alternative beggartick · alternative beggarticks · alternative beggar-ticks
- uncountableThe bur marigold (Bidens spp.) and its achenes, which are armed with barbed awns that adhere to clothing.
Synonyms: bur marigold, butterfly needles, cobbler's pegs, shepherd's needle, Spanish needles, stickseed, tickseed, tickseed sunflower
Synonyms & antonyms
nounThe bur marigold (Bidens spp.) and its achenes, which are armed with barbed awns that adhere to clothing.
Origin
From the notion of a beggar sleeping rough and acquiring a coating of the seeds, which stick to the body like ticks. Compare beggar's lice, beggar's buttons.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Finnish rusokki
- rusokkiplant of the genus Bidens
French bident
- bidentplant of the genus Bidens
German Zweizahn
- Zweizahnplant of the genus Bidens
Polish uczep
- uczepplant of the genus Bidens
Russian череда́
- череда́ (čeredá)plant of the genus Bidens
Welsh graban
- grabanplant of the genus Bidens
Cite this entry
beggar's ticks. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/beggar's%20ticks
“beggar's ticks.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/beggar's%20ticks. Accessed November 5, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “beggar's ticks,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/beggar's%20ticks.
Source: beggar's ticks on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.