Meaning & use
sedges
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“sedges” is a form of “sedge”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meaning
nounpluralbiology
Grass-like plants with solid stems, often triangular, that grow mostly in wet ground such as marshes.
Grammar: Plural of sedge: sedges grow along the pond edge.
Patterns
- sedges in something
- sedges along something
Sedges grew thickly along the edge of the pond.
Wildfowl nest among the sedges in the marsh.
The meadow was full of sedges and wild iris.
Word forms
| singular | sedge |
|---|
Common combinations
- wet sedges
- The wet sedges gave off a sharp smell.
- sedges and rushes
- Sedges and rushes cover the bog.
- grow among the sedges
- The frogs hid among the sedges.
- sedge meadow
- A sedge meadow forms on damp land.
- clumps of sedges
- Clumps of sedges lined the stream.
Synonyms and how they differ
- rushes
- Rushes are another wet-ground plant with round, hollow or pith-filled stems, unlike the solid, often triangular stems of sedges.
- reeds
- Reeds are taller true grasses with hollow stems, while sedges are shorter and not true grasses.
- grasses
- Grasses have round, hollow stems with joints, whereas sedges have solid stems without obvious joints.
Word family
- sedge noun
- a single plant of this kind
- sedgy adjective
- full of sedges
- sedge meadow noun
- a wet meadow with many sedges
Commonly confused: sedges or rushes? sedges or grasses?
sedges vs rushes
Rushes look similar but have round stems, while sedges often have triangular stems.
sedges vs grasses
Grasses are a larger group with jointed stems; sedges are a separate family.
Practice
Which place are you most likely to find sedges growing?
Choose one answer.
Sedges prefer wet ground such as marshes. The other places are too dry or too hard for them.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “sedges”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.