Spanish moss

noun

: an epiphytic plant (Tillandsia usneoides) of the pineapple family forming pendent tufts of grayish-green filaments on trees from the southern U.S. to Argentina

Illustration of Spanish moss

Illustration of spanish moss

Examples of Spanish moss in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
This southern town oozes mysterious charm with its hundreds-years-old live oak trees and their dripping Spanish moss. Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 20 Mar. 2025 Go to pay your respects and take a stroll under the giant arms of ancient live oaks dripping with Spanish moss. Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 15 Feb. 2025 Students from both the neighborhood elementary school and nearby federal university helped roll up Spanish moss, kalanchoe and other tropical succulents in bidim, a lightweight polyester geotextile made of recycled drink bottles. Jill Langlois, NPR, 25 Jan. 2025 This serene lake, filled with water lilies and cypress trees draped in Spanish moss, is part of the Cypress Island Nature Preserve—a thriving ecosystem that supports thousands of nesting birds each spring. Symiah Dorsey, Southern Living, 10 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for Spanish moss

Word History

First Known Use

1823, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Spanish moss was in 1823

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Cite this Entry

“Spanish moss.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Spanish%20moss. Accessed 25 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

Spanish moss

noun
: a plant related to the pineapple that forms hanging tufts of grayish green threadlike strands on trees from the southern U.S. to Argentina

More from Merriam-Webster on Spanish moss

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