lichen
Any of many symbiotic organisms, being associations of algae and fungi, often found as…Any of many symbiotic organisms, being associations of algae and fungi, often found as white or yellow-to-blue–green patches on rocks, old walls, etc.
» Caribou eat almost only lichen during the winter.
Зимой карибу питаются почти исключительно лишайником.
Meaning
2 senses(countable, uncountable)Any of many symbiotic organisms, being associations of algae and fungi, often found as white or yellow-to-blue–green patches on rocks, old walls, etc.
Flechte
лиша́йникlišájnik, лиша́йlišáj
лиша́йникlyšájnyk
(countable, figuratively, uncountable)Something which gradually spreads across something else, causing damage.
- any thallophytic plant of the division Lichenes; occur as crusty patches or bushy growths on tree trunks or rocks or bare ground etc.
- any of several eruptive skin diseases characterized by hard thick lesions grouped together and resembling lichens growing on rocks
Examples
1 sentencesCaribou eat almost only lichen during the winter.
ruЗимой карибу питаются почти исключительно лишайником.
Translations
9 languagesBy meaning 1
By meaning 1
By meaning 1
Origin
Borrowed from Latin līchēn, from Ancient Greek λειχήν (leikhḗn), from λείχω (leíkhō, “to lBorrowed from Latin līchēn, from Ancient Greek λειχήν (leikhḗn), from λείχω (leíkhō, “to lick”). Originally used of liverwort; the modern sense first recorded 1715.
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Forms
plural: lichens / lichenSynonyms
1 synonymsWord family
54 related wordsLessons for this word
2 lessons- A1Plural nouns — Because its plural is irregular
- A1Countable and uncountable nouns — Because it can be uncountable