Meaning & use
Awns
Last updated
The stiff, bristle-like appendages found on the flowering parts of grasses and cereal grains, such as barley.
See it in a sentence
The barley heads were covered in long, sharp awns that caught on his sleeves.
Farmers sometimes breed awnless varieties of wheat to make harvesting easier.
A note on using this word
Awns can help disperse seeds by catching on animal fur, which is why some wheat and barley varieties are bred to be 'awnless' for easier handling.
Words with a similar meaning
bristles
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