noun
any of various plants of the genus Crotalaria having inflated pods within which the seeds rattle; used for pasture and green-manure crops
• Syn: ↑rattlebox
• Hypernyms: ↑herb, ↑herbaceous plant
• Hyponyms: ↑American rattlebox, ↑Crotalaria sagitallis, ↑Indian rattlebox, ↑Crotalaria spectabilis
• Member Holonyms: ↑genus Crotalaria
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\\ˌkrōd.əlˈa(a)rēə, -räd.-\ nounEtymology: New Latin, from Latin crotalum + New Latin -aria; from the rattling of the ripe seeds in the pod when shaken
1. capitalized : a very large genus of mainly tropical herbs (family Leguminosae) with chiefly simple leaves and showy yellow flowers in racemes — see sunn
2. -s : any plant of the genus Crotalaria; specifically : any of several plants of this genus used for pasture and green-manure crops
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crotalaria /krot- or krōt-ə-lāˈri-ə/ noun
Any plant of the genus Crotalaria, including the American rattleboxes (from their inflated pods)
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Main Entry: ↑crotal
Useful english dictionary. 2012.