Tussock

2 definitions found

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

  Tussock \Tus"sock\, n. [From {Tuz}.] [Written also {tussuck}.]
     1. A tuft, as of grass, twigs, hair, or the like; especially,
        a dense tuft or bunch of grass or sedge.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              Such laying of the hair in tussocks and tufts.


                                                    --Latimer.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. (Bot.) Same as {Tussock grass}, below.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     3. (Zool.) A caterpillar of any one of numerous species of
        bombycid moths. The body of these caterpillars is covered
        with hairs which form long tufts or brushes. Some species
        are very injurious to shade and fruit trees. Called also
        {tussock caterpillar}. See {Orgyia}.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     {Tussock grass}. (Bot.)
        (a) A tall, strong grass of the genus {Dactylis}
            ({Dactylis caespitosa}), valuable for fodder,
            introduced into Scotland from the Falkland Islands.
        (b) A tufted grass ({Aira caespitosa}).
        (c) Any kind of sedge ({Carex}) which forms dense tufts in
            a wet meadow or boggy place.
  
     {Tussock moth} (Zool.), the imago of any tussock caterpillar.
        They belong to {Orgyia}, {Halecidota}, and allied genera.
        [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  tussock
       n : a bunch of hair or feathers or growing grass [syn: {tuft}]