hound's tongue

noun

Any member of the genus Cynoglossum of small-flowered herbs and shrubs of the Old World.

Similar
dog's tonguerib
OriginMiddle English houndestonge ← Old English hundes tunge ← Latin cynoglossos →
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Meanings

nounhound's tongue (plural hound's tongues)

plural hound's tongues · alternative houndstongue · alternative hound's-tongue

  1. Any member of the genus Cynoglossum of small-flowered herbs and shrubs of the Old World.
    1. In particular, the biennial weed Cynoglossum officinale, which has soft tongue-shaped leaves and an offensive odour, and which bears nutlets covered with barbed or hooked prickles.

      Synonyms: dog's tongue, rib

Synonyms & antonyms

nounIn particular, the biennial weed Cynoglossum officinale, which has soft tongue-shaped leaves and an offensive odour, and which bears nutlets covered with barbed or hooked prickles.

Similar
dog's tonguerib

Origin

  1. Ancient Greekκυνόγλωσσον
  2. Latincynoglossos
  3. Old Englishhundes tunge“hound’s tongue (cynoglossum officinale)”
  4. Middle Englishhoundestonge
  5. Englishhound's tongue

From Middle English houndestonge, from Old English hundes tunge (“hound’s tongue (cynoglossum officinale)”), a calque of Latin cynoglossos, itself from Ancient Greek κυνόγλωσσον (kunóglōsson, literally “hound’s tongue”). Compare Dutch hondstong, German Hundszunge.

More words from Middle English, Old English, Latin

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Ancient Greek κυνόγλωσσον
  • κυνόγλωσσον (kunóglōsson)Cynoglossum officinale
Arabic لِسَان الكَلْب
  • لِسَان الكَلْب (lisān al-kalb)Cynoglossum officinale
Bulgarian мишина, наумка
  • мишина (mišina)Cynoglossum officinale
  • наумка (naumka)Cynoglossum officinale
Catalan llengua de ca
  • llengua de caCynoglossum officinale
Finnish koirankieli, rohtokoirankieli
  • koirankieliCynoglossum officinale
  • rohtokoirankieliCynoglossum officinale
French cynoglosse
  • cynoglosseCynoglossum officinale
German Hundszunge
  • HundszungeCynoglossum officinale
Irish leadhb ghadhair, teanga chon
  • leadhb ghadhairCynoglossum officinale
  • teanga chonCynoglossum officinale
Persian سگزبان
  • سگزبان (sag-zabân)Cynoglossum officinale
Romanian atrățel, otrățel
  • atrățelCynoglossum officinale
  • otrățelCynoglossum officinale
Russian черноко́рень лека́рственный
  • черноко́рень лека́рственный (černokórenʹ lekárstvennyj)Cynoglossum officinale
Spanish lengua de perro
  • lengua de perroCynoglossum officinale
Swedish hundtunga
  • hundtungaCynoglossum officinale
Cite this entry
APA

hound's tongue. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hound's%20tongue

MLA

“hound's tongue.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hound's%20tongue. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “hound's tongue,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hound's%20tongue.

Source: hound's tongue on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.