bear grass

noun

: any of several plants (genera Yucca, Nolina, or Xerophyllum) of the lily or agave families chiefly of the southern and western U.S. with foliage resembling coarse blades of grass

Examples of bear grass in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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There was some disagreement in local opinions on whether bear grass was so called because bears like to eat it, especially the blossoms, or because bears use the leaves and stalks to line their dens. Rolling Stone, 13 Oct. 2021 Lined up in tubs were the dramatis personae: gerbera daisies, alstroemerias, leucadendrons, thistles, bear grass, sweet william. Michael Schulma, The New Yorker, 31 July 2021 Kuhnhausen disappeared June 6 and her remains were discovered in a remote area of Larch Mountain on December 7 by someone gathering bear grass. Erin Donaghue, CBS News, 3 Jan. 2020 The promotional order includes a 20-stem single-color bunch of tulips, with the option to add bear grass for a more lush looking bouquet. Elizabeth Gulino, House Beautiful, 7 May 2019 But its intricate layers demand close inspection, revealing a marvelous design that gets some of its elegance from a relatively spare mix of natural materials: cedar root, cedar bark and bear grass. Molly Glentzer, Houston Chronicle, 3 July 2018

Word History

First Known Use

1750, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of bear grass was in 1750

Dictionary Entries Near bear grass

Cite this Entry

“Bear grass.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bear%20grass. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

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