darnel

[ dahr-nl ]

/ ˈdɑr nl /

noun

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

Nearby words

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

Origin of darnel

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

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for darnel

The grains of the darnel are not so heavy as the wheat, and not so compactly set upon the stalk.
The Parables of Our Lord|William Arnot
I am afraid Mr. Darnel's fate is a just judgment of God upon him for his cruelty to that excellent person.
The Adventures of Sir Launcelot Greaves|Tobias Smollett
Darnel will not do for the grain-tax, and daughters will never support their mothers.
Village Life in China|Arthur H. Smith
His disciples came to him, saying, "Explain to us the parable of the darnel weeds of the field."
The World English Bible (WEB), The Old Testament, Complete|Various

I shall set about Darnel immediately—a confounded exchange, for the Percy was certainly the finest girl in London.
Discipline|Mary Brunton

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