any tracheophyte plant of the phylum Filicinophyta, having roots, stems, and fronds and reproducing by spores formed in structures (sori) on the fronds
See also tree fernany of certain similar but unrelated plants, such as the sweet fern
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025
fern /fɜrn/USA pronunciation
n. [countable], pl. ferns or fern.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025- Plant Biologya nonflowering plant having fronds and reproducing by spores.
fern
(fûrn),USA pronunciation n.
fern′less, adj.
fern′like′, adj.
Fern (fûrn),USA pronunciation n.
- Plant Biologyany seedless, nonflowering vascular plant of the class Filicinae, of tropical to temperate regions, characterized by true roots produced from a rhizome, triangular fronds that uncoil upward and have a branching vein system, and reproduction by spores contained in sporangia that appear as brown dots on the underside of the fronds.
- bef. 900; Middle English ferne, Old English fearn; cognate with German Farn fern, Sanskrit parná feather
fern′like′, adj.
Fern (fûrn),USA pronunciation n.
- a female given name.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
'fern' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
Alice's fern
- Boston fern
- California gold fern
- Christmas fern
- Clayton fern
- Goldie's fern
- Hartford fern
- acrogen
- adder's-tongue
- asparagus
- asparagus fern
- asparagus fern caterpillar
- ball fern
- basket fern
- beech fern
- beet armyworm
- bird's-nest fern
- bladder fern
- bottle fern
- bracken
- brake
- brittle fern
- caudex
- chain fern
- cinnamon fern
- climbing fern
- compound leaf
- crosier
- dagger fern
- deer fern
- ebony spleenwort
- fancy fern
- far
- fern asparagus
- fern bar
- fern seed
- fernbrake
- fernery
- ferny
- fishbone fern
- frond
- golden polypody
- grape fern
- hapuu
- hare's-foot fern
- hart's-tongue
- hay-scented fern
- indusium
- interrupted fern
- lace-fern