Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun Any of several herbs of the genus Lathyrus of the pea family, having pinnately compound leaves, slender tendrils, and variously colored flowers.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun In botany, a name given loosely to plants of the genus Lathyrus. The meadow-vetchling is L. pratensis, a plant difficult to eradicate, but useful for forage.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun (Bot.) Any small leguminous plant of the genus Lathyrus, especially Lathyrus Nissolia.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun A leguminous climbing plant, notably:

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun any of various small plants of the genus Lathyrus; climb usually by means of tendrils

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

vetch (“leguminous plant of genus Vicia”) +‎ -ling

Support

Help support Wordnik (and make this page ad-free) by adopting the word vetchling.

Examples

  • The symmetry of many plants is akin to the spirit of ancient peoples – woad, with leaves like roughly made arrow-heads; golden saxifrage, with its calix like a Roman urn; meadow-vetchling, with its curious stipules like spearheads locked in conflict.

    The Spring of Joy: A Little Book of Healing 1917

  • Meadow vetchling, and the tall meadow crowfoot, with rich yellow blooms and dainty leaves, are set off by the pinks of the clover and the crimson of stray sainfoin clusters.

    The Naturalist on the Thames 1882

  • The yellow vetchling had climbed up from the ditch and opened its flower, and there were young nuts on the hazel bough.

    Round About a Great Estate Richard Jefferies 1867

  • A yellow vetchling, too, is now opening its yellow petals beside the Long Ditton road: another summer flower, which comes in as the blue veronica is leaving the sward.

    The Toilers of the Field Richard Jefferies 1867

  • On slender stalks the yellow vetchling blooms, reaching ambitiously as tall as the lowest of the brambles.

    Nature Near London Richard Jefferies 1867

  • Corn-marigold was gay again in July, and the white blackberry blossoms came with crane's bill and flax, campion and willow-herb, speedwell and vetchling.

    The Old Helmet 1864

  • All this took place between mother and daughter whilst the Caliph stood upon the terrace-roof listening to their say, and presently he picked up a pebble the size of a vetchling [FN#163] and, setting it between his thumb and forefinger, jerked it at the wax candle which burned before the young lady and extinguished the light.

    Arabian nights. English Anonymous 1855

  • Corn-marigold was gay again in July, and the white blackberry blossoms came with crane's bill and flax, campion and willow-herb, speedwell and vetchling.

    The Old Helmet, Volume II Susan Warner 1852

Comments

Log in or sign up to get involved in the conversation. It's quick and easy.