Meanings
plural dumbcanes · alternative dumb cane
- uncountableusuallyA tropical plant of the genus Dieffenbachia.
1 more example
I was stunned to realize just how many of these potentially dangerous plants were in my own home and garden, including aloe, elephant’s ear, jade, peace lily (Spathiphyllum), philodendron and dumbcane (Dieffenbacchia), as well as foxglove (Digitalis purpurea), hellebore, vinca, rhododendron and chrysanthemum.
2007 July 17, Jane E. Brody, “Avoiding the Dangers Down in the Garden”, in New York Times
Synonyms & antonyms
Origin
From dumb + cane, due to its poisoning effect on the throat.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Arabic دِفِنْبَاخِيَة
- دِفِنْبَاخِيَة (difinbāḵiya)a tropical plant of the genus Dieffenbachia
Esperanto difenbaĥio, difenbakio
- difenbaĥioa tropical plant of the genus Dieffenbachia
- difenbakioa tropical plant of the genus Dieffenbachia
Finnish kirjovehka
- kirjovehkaa tropical plant of the genus Dieffenbachia
German Dieffenbachie
- Dieffenbachiea tropical plant of the genus Dieffenbachia
Greek ντιφενμπάχια
- ντιφενμπάχια (ntifenmpáchia)a tropical plant of the genus Dieffenbachia
Italian dieffenbachia
- dieffenbachiaa tropical plant of the genus Dieffenbachia
Japanese ディフェンバキア
- ディフェンバキア (difenbakia)a tropical plant of the genus Dieffenbachia
Lithuanian difenbachija
- difenbachijaa tropical plant of the genus Dieffenbachia
Polish difenbachia, diffenbachia
- difenbachiaa tropical plant of the genus Dieffenbachia
- diffenbachiaa tropical plant of the genus Dieffenbachia
Portuguese comigo-ninguém-pode
- comigo-ninguém-podea tropical plant of the genus Dieffenbachia
Russian диффенба́хия
- диффенба́хия (diffenbáxija)a tropical plant of the genus Dieffenbachia
Ukrainian дифенба́хія
- дифенба́хія (dyfenbáxija)a tropical plant of the genus Dieffenbachia
Cite this entry
dumbcane. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/dumbcane
“dumbcane.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/dumbcane. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “dumbcane,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/dumbcane.
Source: dumbcane on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.