bracken

Reading level: hard

Estimated CEFR level: C2 — Proficiency

Estimated from word frequency; not an official CEFR classification.

Definition

  1. noun fern of southeastern Asia; not hardy in cold temperate regions
  2. noun large coarse fern often several feet high; essentially weed ferns; cosmopolitan

Etymology

From Middle English braken, probably of Scandinavian/North Germanic origin, from Old Norse *brakni (“undergrowth”), related to Proto-Germanic *brekaną and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *bʰreg- (“to break”). Cognates include Danish bregne and Swedish bräken (“fern”).

In classic literature

Synonyms

Pteridium esculentum

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