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Glite Dictionary
sword fern

sword fern

7.1
A tropical plant with long, narrow leaves shaped like a sword
  • noun
  • /sɔrd fɜrn/
translation icon : helecho espada
  • The lush green sword ferns grow abundantly in the tropical rainforest.

Examples

  • So you've got the western sword Fern, autumn frost, hosta, the black mondo grass, begonia, the Ivy and the impatiens.

  • In shaded areas, sword ferns thrive, creating a vibrant green carpet beneath the trees.

  • Many gardeners appreciate sword ferns for their long, narrow fronds that add elegance to the landscape.

Surface Forms

sword fern singular
sword ferns plural

Morphology

sword + fern

The meaning 'fern with long, narrow, sword-shaped fronds' is directly and transparently derived from combining 'sword' (indicating shape) with 'fern' (the plant). This noun–noun compound follows a common descriptive pattern in English (first noun specifying a property of the second), which a B1 learner who knows both words can readily interpret.

Etymology

Sword fern comes from the plant's long, narrow leaves that look like a sword, and because it is a type of fern people used that clear picture to name it. So the name means 'a fern with long, sword-like leaves'.