Boston fern

noun

: a luxuriant fern (Nephrolepis exaltata) often with drooping much-divided fronds

Examples of Boston fern in a Sentence

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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
If unhappy, Boston ferns will quickly show you their displeasure by dropping fronds. — Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 29 Jan. 2025 Palm, banana, olive, and yucca trees create a dense canopy that contrasts with the Boston ferns and fiddle-leaf figs around the pool. — Clare Coulson, Condé Nast Traveler, 31 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1896, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Boston fern was in 1896

Rhymes for Boston fern

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Boston fern
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Cite this Entry

“Boston fern.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Boston%20fern. Accessed 23 Mar. 2025.

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