sword fern

noun

: 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
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.
The site is very private and being in the forest, there is a lot of screening from the native understory plants—huckleberry, wild rhododendrons, wax myrtle, and sword ferns. — Sarah Yang, Sunset Magazine, 30 Aug. 2023 The many species of this sword fern turn brown in frost, but they can be clipped off easily. — oregonlive, 26 Feb. 2023

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1829, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of sword fern was circa 1829

Rhymes for sword fern

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Cite this Entry

“Sword fern.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sword%20fern. Accessed 26 Mar. 2025.

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