Jack-in-the-pulpit Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun common American spring-flowering woodland herb having sheathing leaves and an upright club-shaped spadix with overarching green and purple spathe producing scarlet berries
    Arisaema atrorubens; wake-robin; Arisaema triphyllum; Indian turnip.
  2. noun common European arum with lanceolate spathe and short purple spadix; emerges in early spring; source of a starch called arum
    cuckoopint; Arum maculatum; lords-and-ladies.

WordNet

Definitions
  1. (Bot.), the American plant Arisæma triphyllum, or Indian turnip, in which the upright spadix is inclosed.

Webster 1913