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: any of a genus (Vicia) of herbaceous twining leguminous plants including some grown for fodder and green manure compare crown vetch, hairy vetch, milk vetch
Examples of vetch in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The conservation district recommends oats, clover, rye or vetch for no-till cover cropping.
—Karl Schneider, The Indianapolis Star, 3 June 2024
These include red clover, crimson clover, vetch, peas and beans.
—Jeff Lowenfels, Anchorage Daily News, 27 July 2023
Wild nuts, peas, vetch, a legume which had edible seed pods, and grasses were often combined with pulses like beans or lentils, the most commonly identified ingredient, and at times, wild mustard.
—Katie Hunt, CNN, 22 Nov. 2022
Broadleaf plants such as clover, vetch, Austrian winter peas and other cool-season crops.
—Howard Garrett, Dallas News, 27 Sep. 2021
Larger seeds like peas, vetch and cereals should be raked in lightly.
—oregonlive, 16 Aug. 2021
Complaints about seeing hawkweed while on walks are up, as are questions about mass executions of butter and eggs, chickweed, German chamomile and cow vetch.
—Jeff Lowenfels, Anchorage Daily News, 5 Aug. 2021
Pridgen uses cover crops to block weeds and feed the soil; daikon radishes work to open up the soil without digging, and legumes, such as vetch and clover, add nitrogen to the soil.
—Adrian Higgins, Washington Post, 14 July 2021
There are many crops that will help with this, to name a few, oats, vetch, rye, clover, Austrian pea, etc.
—oregonlive, 1 May 2021
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Word History
Etymology
Middle English fecche, veche, from Middle French dialect (Norman & Picard) veche, from Latin vicia; perhaps akin to Latin vincire to bind
First Known Use
14th century, in the meaning defined above
Time Traveler
The first known use of vetch was
in the 14th century
Phrases Containing vetch
Dictionary Entries Near vetch
Cite this Entry
“Vetch.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vetch. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.
Kids Definition
vetch
noun
: any of a genus of twining herbs of the legume family that include plants used to feed domestic animals and to improve soil
More from Merriam-Webster on vetch
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about vetch
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