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Glite Dictionary
dagger fern

dagger fern

9.4
An evergreen fern with long narrow pointed leaves
  • noun
  • /ˈdæɡər fɜrn/
  • US
translation icon : helecho daga
  • The dagger fern is known for its striking, lance-shaped fronds.

Examples

  • Gardeners often choose the dagger fern for its evergreen foliage and attractive appearance.

  • We spotted a lush dagger fern growing along the shady forest trail.

  • The dagger fern thrives in shaded areas.

  • I found a dagger fern in my backyard.

  • Gardeners often choose the dagger fern for its evergreen foliage and attractive appearance.

  • The dagger fern is known for its striking, lance-shaped fronds.

  • We spotted a lush dagger fern growing along the shady forest trail.

Synonyms

Polystichum acrostichoides
vsdagger fern
  • Specialized
9.9

An evergreen fern from North America with long feather-like leaves that makes good ground cover

is the same plant but given as a common descriptive name
Christmas fern
vsdagger fern
  • US
9.9

A North American fern that stays green in winter and has long divided leaves

is the same plant without stressing the seasonal green appearance
canker brake
vsdagger fern
  • US
9.9

An evergreen fern with long pointed leaves that grow in dense patches

is the more familiar descriptive name rather than this alternative label

Surface Forms

dagger fern singular
dagger ferns plural

Morphology

dagger + fern

The compound 'dagger fern' is compositional: 'dagger' describes the shape (pointed, lance-like) and 'fern' denotes the plant, so the meaning is a fern with dagger-shaped fronds. This modifier+noun naming pattern is common cross-linguistically, so a B1 learner who knows both words can reasonably infer the referent.

Etymology

The plant name dagger fern comes from the look of its long, pointed leaves. The fronds look like small daggers, so people used that image to name the fern.