Awn

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Awn \Awn\ ([add]n), n. [OE. awn, agune, from Icel. ["o]gn, pl.
     agnir; akin to Sw. agn, Dan. avne, Goth. ahana, OHG. agana,
     G. agen, ahne, chaff, Gr. 'a`chnh, AS. egla; prob. from same
     root as E. acute. See 3d {Ear}. [root]1.] (Bot.)
     The bristle or beard of barley, oats, grasses, etc., or any
     similar bristlelike appendage; arista. --Gray.


     [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  awn
       n : slender bristlelike appendage found on the bracts of grasses