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sword fern

American  

noun

  1. any fern of the genus Nephrolepis, especially N. exaltata, characterized by sword-shaped, pinnate fronds, a common houseplant.


sword fern British  

noun

  1. any of numerous ferns having sword-shaped fronds

"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

Etymology

Origin of sword fern

First recorded in 1820–30

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

They planted 80,000 plants — like red elderberry, western sword fern and Douglas fir — in the surrounding landscape to make the crossings more natural and attractive to wildlife.

From Seattle Times Mar. 31, 2024

On her back sits a basket woven from cedar boughs and bark, sword fern fronds, cattail and grapevines, which is adorned with dried squash and pine cones.

From Seattle Times Oct. 17, 2023

On the ground, it crowds out native species like sword fern and makes it impossible for other native species to take root, including new trees.

From Seattle Times Nov. 2, 2022

We learned the names of the plants, the elderberry, huckleberry, and sword fern, that grow on the forest floor.

From Salon Jan. 30, 2022

“Go across the sword fern meadow and head through the pines. You’ll get there way ahead of everyone else!”

From "Klawde: Evil Alien Warlord Cat" by Johnny Marciano and Emily Chenoweth

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