SEDGE

sedge

(noun) grasslike or rushlike plant growing in wet places having solid stems, narrow grasslike leaves and spikelets of inconspicuous flowers

Source: WordNet® 3.1


Etymology 1

Noun

sedge (plural sedges)

Any plant of the genus Carex, the true sedge, perennial, endogenous herbs, often growing in dense tufts in marshy places. They have triangular jointless stems, a spiked inflorescence, and long grasslike leaves which are usually rough on the margins and midrib. There are several hundred species.

Any plant of the family Cyperaceae.

Certain other plants resembling sedges, such as Gentiana rubricaulis and Andropogon virginicus.

Etymology 2

By contraction from sedge fly.

Noun

sedge (plural sedges)

(fishing) A dry fly used in fly fishing, designed to resemble a sedge or caddis fly.

Etymology 3

Variant spellings.

Noun

sedge (plural sedges)

Obsolete spelling of siege.

Alternative spelling of segge

A flock of herons, cranes, or bitterns.

Anagrams

• edges

Source: Wiktionary


Sedge, n. Etym: [OE. segge, AS. secg; akin to LG. segge; -- probably named from its bladelike appearance, and akin to L. secare to cut, E. saw a cutting instrument; cf. Ir. seisg, W. hesg. Cf. Hassock, Saw the instrument.]

1. (Bot.)

Definition: Any plant of the genus Carex, perennial, endogenous herbs, often growing in dense tufts in marshy places. They have triangular jointless stems, a spiked inflorescence, and long grasslike leaves which are usually rough on the margins and midrib. There are several hundred species.

Note: The name is sometimes given to any other plant of the order Cyperaceæ, which includes Carex, Cyperus, Scirpus, and many other genera of rushlike plants.

2. (Zoöl.)

Definition: A flock of herons. Sedge ken (Zoöl.), the clapper rail. See under 5th Rail.

– Sedge warbler (Zoöl.), a small European singing bird (Acrocephalus phragmitis). It often builds its nest among reeds; -- called also sedge bird, sedge wren, night warbler, and Scotch nightingale.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition



RESET




Word of the Day

22 January 2025

MEGALITH

(noun) memorial consisting of a very large stone forming part of a prehistoric structure (especially in western Europe)


coffee icon

Coffee Trivia

Espresso is both a coffee beverage and a brewing method that originated in Italy. When making an espresso, a small amount of nearly boiling water under pressure forces through finely-ground coffee beans. It has more caffeine per unit volume than most coffee beverages. Its smaller serving size will take three shots to equal a mug of standard brewed coffee.

coffee icon