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moss
[ maws, mos ]
/ mɔs, mɒs /
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noun
any tiny, leafy-stemmed, flowerless plant of the class Musci, reproducing by spores and growing in tufts, sods, or mats on moist ground, tree trunks, rocks, etc.
a growth of such plants.
any of various similar plants, as Iceland moss or club moss.
Chiefly Scot. and North England. a swamp or bog.
verb (used with object)
to cover with a growth of moss: to moss a crumbling wall.
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Origin of moss
before 1000; Middle English mos(se), Old English mos moss, bog; akin to German Moos,Old Norse mȳrrmire
OTHER WORDS FROM moss
mosslike, adjectiveun·mossed, adjectiveWords nearby moss
Other definitions for moss (2 of 2)
Moss
[ maws, mos ]
/ mɔs, mɒs /
noun
Howard, 1922–1987, U.S. poet, editor, and playwright.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022
How to use moss in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for moss (1 of 2)
moss
/ (mɒs) /
noun
any bryophyte of the phylum Bryophyta, typically growing in dense mats on trees, rocks, moist ground, etcSee also peat moss
a clump or growth of any of these plants
any of various similar but unrelated plants, such as club moss, Spanish moss, Ceylon moss, rose moss, and reindeer moss
Scot and Northern English a peat bog or marsh
Derived forms of moss
mosslike, adjectivemossy, adjectivemossiness, nounWord Origin for moss
Old English mos swamp; compare Middle Dutch, Old High German mos bog, Old Norse mosi; compare also Old Norse mӯrr mire
British Dictionary definitions for moss (2 of 2)
Moss
/ (mɒs) /
noun
Kate . born 1974, British supermodel.
Sir Stirling. born 1929, English racing driver
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
Scientific definitions for moss
moss
[ môs ]
Any of various green, usually small nonvascular plants of the division Bryophyta. Mosses, unlike liverworts, have some tissues specialized for conducting water and nutrients. As in the other bryophytes, the diploid sporophyte grows on the haploid gametophyte generation, which supplies it with nutrients. Mosses often live in moist, shady areas and grow in clusters or mats. Sphagnum mosses play a crucial role in the ecology of peat bogs. See more at bryophyte.
Any of a number of plants that look like mosses but are not related to them. For instance, reindeer moss is a lichen, Irish moss is an alga, and Spanish moss is a bromeliad, a flowering plant.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Other Idioms and Phrases with moss
moss
see rolling stone gathers no moss.
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.