fern

¹

[furn]

noun

1. any seedless, nonflowering vascular plant of the class Filicinae, of tropical to temperate regions, characterized by true roots produced from a rhizome, triangular fronds that uncoil upward and have a branching vein system, and reproduction by spores contained in sporangia that appear as brown dots on the underside of the fronds.

Fern

²

[furn]

noun

1. a female given name.

fern

/ fɜːn /

noun

1. any tracheophyte plant of the phylum Filicinophyta , having roots, stems, and fronds and reproducing by spores formed in structures (sori) on the fronds See also tree fern

2. any of certain similar but unrelated plants, such as the sweet fern

fern

1. Any of numerous seedless vascular plants belonging to the phylum Pterophyta that reproduce by means of spores and usually have feathery fronds divided into many leaflets. Most species of ferns are homosporous (producing only one kind of spore). The haploid spore grows into a small, usually flat gametophyte known as a prothallus, which is undifferentiated into roots, stems, and leaves. The green prothallus anchors itself with hairlike extensions known as rhizoids and bears both archegonia (organs producing female gametes) and antheridia (organs producing male gametes). The male gametes require the presence of water to swim to the female gametes and fertilize the eggs. Normally only one embryo is produced, and it then grows out of the gametophyte plant as a diploid sporophyte plant that has roots, stems, and leaves and conducts photosynthesis, while the smaller gametophyte withers away. The leaves of these sporophytes eventually produce sporangia (in some species occurring in clusters known as sori). Under dry conditions, the sori burst releasing hundreds of thousands or millions of spores. Ferns were abundant in the Carboniferous period and exist today in about 11,000 species, about three-quarters of which live in tropical climates.

Other Word Forms

• fernless adjective
• fernlike adjective
• ferny adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of fern¹

before 900; Middle English ferne, Old English fearn; cognate with German Farn fern, Sanskrit parná feather

Word History and Origins

Origin of fern¹

Old English fearn ; related to Old High German farn , Sanskrit parná leaf

Example Sentences

The symbol glows green, and suddenly the wood sprouts a family of ferns out of nowhere.

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Penelope nearly clapped her hands in delight, for she was very fond of ferns.

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The letter concluded with a long list of various types of ferns, complete with their distinguishing characteristics.

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Growing near the mouth of a cave was a type of fern known as a wicker fern, named so because its fronds had the densely woven appearance of wicker.

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Fans of ferns could choose from among dozens of best-selling titles, including Frondson’s Pteridomania for the Beginner, with a Preface on Spores by Dr. Ward.

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Related Words

• scrub 
• thicket