sword fern
noun
: any of several ferns with long narrow more or less sword-shaped fronds: such as
a
: a tropical fern (Nephrolepis exaltata) from which the Boston fern has been developed
b
: a fern (Polystichum munitum) of western North America with a large fleshy rhizome
Examples of sword fern in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
In truth, fronds of the five-fingered variety, which open up like fingers on a hand, resemble those on sword ferns.
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Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 1 Apr. 2025
The site is very private and being in the forest, there is a lot of screening from the native understory plants—huckleberry, wild rhododendrons, wax myrtle, and sword ferns.
—Sarah Yang, Sunset Magazine, 30 Aug. 2023
The many species of this sword fern turn brown in frost, but they can be clipped off easily.
—oregonlive, 26 Feb. 2023
Ancient old-growth trees sometimes towering 250 feet over your head, Western sword fern the size of a six-year old.
—Sarah Sekula, USA TODAY, 29 Sep. 2020
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Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 1 Apr. 2025
The site is very private and being in the forest, there is a lot of screening from the native understory plants—huckleberry, wild rhododendrons, wax myrtle, and sword ferns.
—Sarah Yang, Sunset Magazine, 30 Aug. 2023
The many species of this sword fern turn brown in frost, but they can be clipped off easily.
—oregonlive, 26 Feb. 2023
Ancient old-growth trees sometimes towering 250 feet over your head, Western sword fern the size of a six-year old.
—Sarah Sekula, USA TODAY, 29 Sep. 2020
Cite this Entry
“Sword fern.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sword%20fern. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.
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