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Definition of fern

fern

/fɜːrn/
fern
Plural:ferns
•
Adjective:ferny
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fern Lexical Profile

fern Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

A flowerless vascular plant that features feathery or leafy fronds and reproduces by means of spores, typically released from the undersides of the leaves.

Example

"Walking through the damp ancient forest, the hikers admired the vibrant green ferns blanketing the shaded ground."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for fern

• Rhymes for fern

• Nearby Words

fennel
fenugreek
fer de lance
fern
ferocactus
ferox
ferret

Word Origin & Etymology

From Old English 'fearn', derived from Proto-Germanic '*farnam'. It ultimately traces back to the Proto-Indo-European root '*porno-' meaning 'feather' or 'wing', in reference to the feathery appearance of the plant's fronds.

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Fern. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 16, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/fern
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