calamus
Sweet flagSweet flag (Acorus calamus).
Meaning
6 senses(uncountable, usually)Sweet flag (Acorus calamus).
the aromatic root of the sweet flag used medicinally
(uncountable, usually)A quill; the hard, horny, hollow, and more or less transparent part of the stem or scape of a feather.
the hollow spine of a feather
(uncountable, usually)A fish of genus Calamus in family Sparidae; certain porgies.
a genus of Sparidae, containing porgies (Calamus)
(uncountable, usually)A palm in genus Calamus, of rattan palms.
any tropical Asian palm of the genus Calamus; light tough stems are a source of rattan canes
(uncountable, usually)A fistular stem without an articulation.
(historical, uncountable, usually)Synonym of fistula (“tube for sucking Eucharist wine”).
Origin
Learned borrowing from Latin calamus (“reed, cane”). Doublet of culm, haulm, helm (EtymoloLearned borrowing from Latin calamus (“reed, cane”). Doublet of culm, haulm, helm (Etymology 4, stalk), qalam, and shawm.
Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Forms
plural: calamuses / calami| Singular | calamus |
|---|
uncountable
Synonyms
9 synonyms- a genus of Sparidae, containing porgies (Calamus):genus Calamus
- the hollow spine of a feather:quillshaft
- perennial marsh plant having swordlike leaves and aromatic roots:sweet flagsweet calamusmyrtle flagflagrootAcorus calamus
Lessons for this word
2 lessons- A1Plural nouns — Because its plural is irregular
- A1Countable and uncountable nouns — Because it can be uncountable