sedge

noun

: 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

Examples of sedge 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.
Lemon Lime, Blush Pink, Flirt 10 Carex Botanical Name: Carex spp Sun Exposure: Shade to part shade Soil Type: Average, well-draining Soil pH: Acidic to alkaline Carex, or sedges, are mounding plants with grass-like foliage. Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 30 May 2025 Like our garden plants, lawn weeds include grasses, sedges, and broadleaf plants. Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 5 Apr. 2025 Driving the news: Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden experts will teach residents how to reduce lawn maintenance with plant clover, sedges, and other tidy ground covers that still support pollinators — minus the unruly chaos. Jason Clayworth, Axios, 2 Apr. 2025 Our guide, Mark Vincent from Door County Adventure Center, dropped dad jokes in between sightings of great blue herons, bald eagles, and wrens in the sedge grass. Jacqueline Kehoe, Travel + Leisure, 23 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for sedge

Word History

Etymology

Middle English segge, from Old English secg; akin to Middle High German segge sedge, Old English sagu saw — more at saw

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of sedge was before the 12th century

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Cite this Entry

“Sedge.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sedge. Accessed 25 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

sedge

noun
: any of a family of plants of marshy areas that are related to the grasses and have solid often three-sided stems

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