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• lucerne
  lucerne

  noun

  alfalfa.
• Lucerne
  Lucerne

  noun

  a canton in central Switzerland. 576 sq. mi. (1,490 sq. km).

lucerne

¹ American  

[loo-surn] / luˈsɜrn /

Or lucern

noun

1. alfalfa.

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Lucerne ² American  

[loo-surn, ly-sern] / luˈsɜrn, lüˈsɛrn /

noun

1. a canton in central Switzerland. 576 sq. mi. (1,490 sq. km).

2. the capital of this canton, on Lake of Lucerne.

3. Also called Lake of the Four Forest Cantons.  Lake of. a lake in central Switzerland. 24 miles (39 km) long; 44 sq. mi. (114 sq. km).

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Lucerne ¹ British  

/ luːˈsɜːn, lysɛrn /

noun

1. a canton in central Switzerland, northwest of Lake Lucerne: joined the Swiss Confederacy in 1332. Pop: 352 300 (2002 est). Area: 1494 sq km (577 sq miles)

2. a city in central Switzerland, capital of Lucerne canton, on Lake Lucerne: tourist centre. Pop: 59 496 (2000)

3. German name: Vierwaldstättersee.  a lake in central Switzerland: fed and drained chiefly by the River Reuss. Area: 115 sq km (44 sq miles)

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lucerne ² British  

/ luːˈsɜːn /

noun

1. another name for alfalfa

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Etymology

Origin of lucerne

1620–30; alteration (by association with Latin lucerna lamp) of French luzerne < Provençal luzerno glowworm (the plant was so called in allusion to its bright seeds); akin to Old Provençal luzerna lamp < Vulgar Latin *lūcerna, for Latin lucerna. See lucid

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

lucerne Lucerne

While the conservancy and its partners figured out what to do, rangers ferried lucerne pellets and other food to the island to help keep the giraffes alive.

From Salon ● Apr. 9, 2025

We hopped out, baskets in hand, to collect yarrow and lucerne, which tastes like peas.

From Washington Post ● Jul. 25, 2019

We sat down as one big happy family for our first course: a salad of lucerne, clover, hazelnuts, yarrow and fried bread cubes.

From Washington Post ● Jul. 25, 2019

A worker throws lucerne, also known as alfalfa, to white rhinos on Hume’s farm.

From National Geographic ● Jan. 22, 2016

She dropped the lucerne again, but she didn’t drop the knife she had used to cut it.

From "A Girl Named Disaster" by Nancy Farmer

A hiker discovered the bodies on 26 July on the Trift Glacier, south of the Swiss city of Lucerne, officials said.

From BBC ● Aug. 21, 2026

The Swiss foreign ministry said diplomats were in discussions at the luxury Burgenstock resort near Lucerne in central Switzerland, without giving further details.

From Barron's ● Jun. 20, 2026

What was supposed to be a showcase affair in Lucerne had quickly turned into a less-glamorous working session.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 19, 2026

Even the Catholic Church has experimented with AI Jesus, with a Swiss church in Lucerne experimenting with a Jesus-like chatbot that was set up to speak with churchgoers in a confessional-style setting.

From Salon ● Dec. 27, 2025

The smell— goodness, it certainly doesn’t smell like the hotel in Lucerne.

From "The Bletchley Riddle" by Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin