1
2
: the dried rhizome and roots of any of various rhubarbs (such as Rheum officinale and R. palmatum) grown chiefly in temperate parts of China and used in folk medicine especially as a laxative, diuretic, and ulcer treatment
3
: a heated dispute or controversy
Examples of rhubarb in a Sentence
The coach got into a rhubarb with the umpire.
a basketball coach whose ranting rhubarbs with officials are the stuff of legend
Recent Examples on the Web
While rhubarb stalks are edible, the leaves are toxic and should never be consumed.
—
Anthony Reardon, Kansas City Star, 7 Mar. 2025
It's thought that rhubarb contains substances, including sennoside, a natural laxative that help the muscles of the digestive system move food along via peristalsis.4950
19.
—Amber J. Tresca, Verywell Health, 5 Nov. 2024
While tasting the sandwiches, scones, and sweets, try the restaurant’s most popular tea—Jardin Bleu—which is a blend of teas from India and China flavored with rhubarb, wild strawberry, and cornflower petals.
—Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 9 Feb. 2025
Kern sells rhubarb seedlings once a year and looks forward to doing so again next fall.
—Joshua Siskin, Orange County Register, 1 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for rhubarb
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Anthony Reardon, Kansas City Star, 7 Mar. 2025
It's thought that rhubarb contains substances, including sennoside, a natural laxative that help the muscles of the digestive system move food along via peristalsis.4950
19.
—Amber J. Tresca, Verywell Health, 5 Nov. 2024
While tasting the sandwiches, scones, and sweets, try the restaurant’s most popular tea—Jardin Bleu—which is a blend of teas from India and China flavored with rhubarb, wild strawberry, and cornflower petals.
—Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 9 Feb. 2025
Kern sells rhubarb seedlings once a year and looks forward to doing so again next fall.
—Joshua Siskin, Orange County Register, 1 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for rhubarb
Cite this Entry
“Rhubarb.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rhubarb. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
rhubarb
noun
rhu·barb
ˈrü-ˌbärb 
1
: a plant related to buckwheat and having large green leaves with thick juicy pink or red stems that are used for food
2
: a heated dispute or argument
Medical Definition
rhubarb
noun
rhu·barb
ˈrü-ˌbärb
1
: any of several plants of the genus Rheum having large leaves with thick succulent petioles often used as food
2
: the dried rhizome and roots of any of several rhubarbs (especially Rheum officinale and R. palmatum) grown in China and Tibet and used as a purgative and stomachic
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