Sparassis

noun

Spa·​ras·​sis

spəˈrasə̇s

: a genus of fungi (family Clavariaceae) having fleshy, much-branched, leafy sporophores see yellow root rot

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from Greek sparassein to tear, rend; akin to Old Norse spjörr rag, Armenian pʽertʽ piece ripped off of something, and perhaps to Old Slavic prǫžiti, prǫžati to tear apart

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

• More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
• Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
• Advanced search features
• Ad free!