Adjacent Words

Sedge definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

SEDGE, n. [L. seco, to cut; that is sword grass, like L. gladiolus.]
1. A narrow flag, or growth of such flags; called in the north of England, seg or sag.
2. In New England, a species of very coarse grass growing in swamps, and forming bogs or clumps.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: grasslike or rushlike plant growing in wet places having solid stems, narrow grasslike leaves and spikelets of inconspicuous flowers

Merriam Webster's

noun Etymology: Middle English segge, from Old English secg; akin to Middle High German segge sedge, Old English sagu saw — more at saw Date: before 12th century any of a family (Cyperaceae, the sedge family) of usually tufted monocotyledonous marsh plants differing from the related grasses in having achenes and solid stems; especially any of a cosmopolitan genus (Carex) • sedgy adjective

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. 1 any grasslike plant of the genus Carex with triangular stems, usu. growing in wet areas. 2 an expanse of this plant. Phrases and idioms: sedge-warbler (or -wren) a small warbler, Acrocephalus schoenobaenus, that breeds in sedge. Derivatives: sedgy adj. Etymology: OE secg f. Gmc

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Sedge Sedge, n. [OE. segge, AS. secg; akin to LG. segge; -- probably named from its bladelike appearance, and akin to L. secare to cut, E. saw a cutting instrument; cf. Ir. seisg, W. hesg. Cf. Hassock, Saw the instrument.] 1. (Bot.) Any plant of the genus Carex, perennial, endogenous herbs, often growing in dense tufts in marshy places. They have triangular jointless stems, a spiked inflorescence, and long grasslike leaves which are usually rough on the margins and midrib. There are several hundred species. Note: The name is sometimes given to any other plant of the order Cyperace[ae], which includes Carex, Cyperus, Scirpus, and many other genera of rushlike plants. 2. (Zo["o]l.) A flock of herons. Sedge ken (Zo["o]l.), the clapper rail. See under 5th Rail. Sedge warbler (Zo["o]l.), a small European singing bird (Acrocephalus phragmitis). It often builds its nest among reeds; -- called also sedge bird, sedge wren, night warbler, and Scotch nightingale.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(sedges) Sedge is a plant that looks like grass and grows in wet ground. N-MASS

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

n. Reed, flag.