mother-in-law's tongue n 1: stemless plant having narrow rigid leaves often cultivated as a houseplant [syn: {snake plant}, {Sansevieria trifasciata}] 2: a evergreen plant with large showy dark green leaves; contains a poison that swells the tongue and throat hence the name [syn: {dumb cane}, {mother-in-law plant}, {Dieffenbachia sequine}]