1 sword fern | Definition of sword fern
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sword fern

noun

Definition of sword fern

: any of several ferns with long narrow more or less sword-shaped fronds: such as
a : a tropical fern (Nephrolepis exaltata) from which the Boston fern has been developed
b : a fern (Polystichum munitum) of western North America with a large fleshy rhizome

Examples of sword fern in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

 Expanses of sword ferns, mixed with sorrel and wild blackberries, often fill the slopes. — Tom Stienstra, San Francisco Chronicle, "No-name waterfall a prize find on Mendocino coast," 8 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'sword fern.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of sword fern

circa 1829, in the meaning defined above

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