Venus hair fern

noun

variants or Venus' hair fern or less commonly Venus hair
plural Venus hair ferns or Venus' hair ferns also Venus hairs
: a maidenhair fern (Adiantum capillus-veneris) that grows chiefly on moist calcareous rocks and has delicate fronds with fan-shaped, lobed pinnae (see pinna sense 2) : southern maidenhair fern

Word History

First Known Use

1551, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Venus hair fern was in 1551

Dictionary Entries Near Venus hair fern

Cite this Entry

“Venus hair fern.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Venus%20hair%20fern. Accessed 14 Nov. 2024.

Medical Definition

Venus hair fern

noun
variants or Venus' hair fern or Venus hair
: a delicate maidenhair fern (Adiantum capillus-veneris) that has been used in the preparation of expectorants and demulcents
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