jew's ear
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
A fungus that grows on the Judas-tree G?.v.); its name is due to a mis- translation of its Latin name, Auricula Judce, i.e. Judas's ear.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “jew's ear” mean?
A fungus that grows on the Judas-tree G?.v.); its name is due to a mis- translation of its Latin name, Auricula Judce, i.e. Judas's ear.
Is “jew's ear” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.