awn

American  

[awn] / ɔn /

noun

Botany.

1. a bristlelike appendage of a plant, especially on the glumes of grasses.

2. such appendages collectively, as those forming the beard of wheat, barley, etc.

3. any similar bristle.

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awn British  

/ ɔːn /

noun

1. any of the bristles growing from the spikelets of certain grasses, including cereals

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awn Scientific  

/ ôn /

1. A slender, bristlelike appendage found on the spikelets of many grasses.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• awned
  adjective
• awnless
  adjective
• unawned
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of awn

1250–1300; Middle English aw ( u ) n, agune, agene, probably < Scandinavian; compare Old Norse ǫgn, Old Danish aghn husk; replacing and cognate with Old English ægnan; cognate with Gothic ahana, Old High German agana ( German Agen, Ahne ), Dutch, Frisian agen; OL agna ear of grain, Czech osina awn; Greek ákaina thorn, bristle, ákhnē chaff (< a pre-Hellenic substratum language); < Indo-European *Haeḱ- sharp