chafflike

9.9

A dry, thin covering like the husks of grain

adjective
/ˈtʃæfˌlaɪk/

: similar a la paja

The chafflike covering on the seed ensures its protection during dispersal.

Examples

Some grasses produce a chafflike material that aids in wind pollination.
After threshing, the barn floor was littered with chafflike debris.
That looks chafflike.
What is that chafflike material?
After threshing, the barn floor was littered with chafflike debris that remained from the harvested grain.
The chafflike material collected in the corners of the barn, creating a texture similar to coarse straw.
The chafflike substance surrounding the seeds helped to carry them away in the wind.

Synonyms

strawlike

vschafflike

1 4.0

Having the look and feel of dried straw

refers to thin loose bits in texture rather than long stems

husklike

vschafflike

1 6.3

Having a dry, thin outer layer like the one on seeds or fruit

has a loose flaky texture rather than an intact outer layer

chaffy

vschafflike

1 9.9

Like the dry outer husks that cover seeds

is about looking or feeling like those particles without being abundant

Surface Forms

chafflike positive

Morphology

chafflike = chaff (transparent) = chaff + like

The adjective is formed by the productive suffix '-like' meaning 'resembling', so its meaning is directly derived from 'chaff'.

Etymology

Chafflike comes from chaff, the dry, light bits left after you separate grain from the plant, and the ending -like, which means 'similar to'. So something chafflike looks or feels like those small dry pieces.