fern
noun
\ ˈfərn
\
\
Definition of fern
: any of a division (Filicophyta) or class (Filicopsida) of flowerless spore-producing vascular plants having alternating sporophyte and gametophyte generations
especially
: any of an order (Filicales) of homosporous plants possessing roots, stems, and leaflike fronds — compare seed fern
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Other Words from fern
fernlike
\ ˈfərn-ˌlīk
\
adjective
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adjective
ferny
\ ˈfər-nē
\
adjective
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adjective
Examples of fern in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The far end of the back yard has a tiered retaining wall, and the second level is pretty bare except for some ferns and old mulch. — oregonlive, "Can I plant some dwarf trees on a retaining wall? Ask an expert," 31 Aug. 2019 Hard surface materials such as decomposed granite, flagstone, lava gravel and natural mulches can also be used along with shade-loving shrubs, ferns and other plants. — Howard Garrett, Dallas News, "Can't grow grass in your shady yard? Try these pretty groundcovers," 23 July 2019 As a result, many tall ferns and shrubs were growing beneath the canopy, creating a home for insects, spiders, and snakes. — Dyna Rochmyaningsih, Science | AAAS, "Courting controversy, scientists team with industry to tackle one of the world’s most destructive crops," 11 July 2019 After millennia of spores from a wide variety of plants, suddenly 70 to 90 percent of the microfossil flora record comes from ferns. — Lorraine Boissoneault, Smithsonian, "How the Ancestors of Birds Survived the Dino-Killing Asteroid," 24 May 2018 Here are just a few tips for making sure that happens: The spirit of the love fern must be present. — Christopher Rosa, Glamour, "Frost Yourselves: A How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days Reboot Is Coming," 1 Aug. 2019 These ferns are what make Joggins in particular critical to our understanding of early tetrapod evolution. — Hillary Maddin, Smithsonian, "Tiny Animals Trapped in Fossil Trees Help Reveal How Fauna Moved Onto Land," 18 July 2019 Light filters through the giant trees bathing the ferns and mosses below in a primordial green glow. — NBC News, "Cloning giant redwoods could help combat climate change," 28 July 2019 Bill Clinton played the saxophone on late-night TV, Barack Obama pushed the Affordable Care Act between two ferns with Zach Galifianakis, and Sen. Marco Rubio gushed about Tupac. — Washington Post, "‘Squad’ jumped from pop culture to become the most politically polarizing word of the year," 27 July 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'fern.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for fern
fern
noun
English Language Learners Definition of fern
: a type of plant that has large, delicate leaves and no flowers
See the full definition for fern in the English Language Learners Dictionary
fern
noun
\ ˈfərn
\
\
Kids Definition of fern
: a plant that produces spores instead of seeds and no flowers and whose leaves are usually divided into many parts
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