darnel

[ dahr-nl ]

/ ˈdɑr nl /

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noun

any of several grasses of the genus Lolium, having simple stems, flat leaves, and terminal spikes.

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Origin of darnel

1275–1325; Middle English; compare French (Walloon) darnelle, probably <Germanic

Words nearby darnel

darmstadtium, darn, darnation, darned, darnedest, darnel, darner, darning, darning egg, darning needle, Darnley

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How to use darnel in a sentence

The change in the plan of registration, he said, had been recommended by Sir Henry Darnel.
The History of England in Three Volumes, Vol.III.|E. Farr and E. H. Nolan
But in Shakespeare's time Darnel, like Cockle (which see), was the general name for any hurtful weed.
The plant-lore and garden-craft of Shakespeare|Henry Nicholson Ellacombe
I know she likes me, for all her wincing; and I shall need some little private comfort, if I marry that ugly thing Darnel.
Discipline|Mary Brunton
I shall set about Darnel immediately—a confounded exchange, for the Percy was certainly the finest girl in London.
Discipline|Mary Brunton

The Tares sown amongst the wheat were probably the seed of the Darnel.
The Romance of Plant Life|G. F. Scott Elliot

British Dictionary definitions for darnel

darnel

/ (ˈdɑːnəl) /

noun

any of several grasses of the genus Lolium, esp L. temulentum, that grow as weeds in grain fields in Europe and Asia

Word Origin for darnel

C14: probably related to French (Walloon dialect) darnelle, of obscure origin

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012