1. a fungal disease of rye and other grains, caused by the fungus Claviceps purpurea, in which the grain is replaced by a dark, hard, horn-shaped mass
Usage: agriculture; plant pathology
2. the dark, horn-shaped fungal mass produced by this disease, used historically as a source of medicinal alkaloids
Usage: medicine; pharmacology

Examples

• The farmer discovered ergot contaminating his rye crop after the wet spring.
• Ergot poisoning, also called ergotism, caused serious illness in medieval Europe when infected grain was consumed.
• The dark ergot bodies were visible among the normal grain kernels.
• Pharmaceutical companies once extracted alkaloids from ergot to produce migraine medications.
• Modern grain cleaning equipment helps prevent ergot from entering the food supply.