fern: [OE] Fern is a fairly widespread Indo- European word, represented among the other West Germanic languages by German farn and Dutch varen. It comes ultimately from Indo- European *porno-. This also produced Sanskrit parnám, which meant ‘feather’ as well as ‘leaf’, suggesting that the fern may have been named originally from the feathery leaves of some species.
fern (n.)
Old English fearn "fern," from Proto-Germanic *farno- (cognates: Old Saxon farn, Middle Dutch vaern, Dutch varen, Old High German farn, German Farn).
Possibly the word has a prehistoric sense of "having feathery fronds" and is from PIE *por-no-, which has yielded words for "feather, wing" (cognates: Sanskrit parnam "feather;" Lithuanian papartis "fern;" Russian paporot'; Greek pteris "fern," pteron "feather"), from the root *per- (2) "to lead, pass over" (see petition (n.)). The plant's ability to appear as if from nothing accounts for the ancient belief that fern seeds conferred invisibility (1590s). Filicology "science or study of ferns" (1848) is from Latin filix "fern."
例文
1. She cast a sidelong glance at Fern .
彼女はファーンをちらっと見た。
2.There are many different types of fern ，none of which produce flowers.
シダ植物にはさまざまな種類があり、いずれも花が生えていない。
3.Kennicott was cordial to Fern Mulins.
ケニコットはフエンマリンズさんにとても親切だった。
4.Lanzhou fern in the main origin of the Yuzhong Nanshan Yam area.
蘭州ワラビの主な産地は楡中南山の二陰地区である。
5.Asiatic tree fern having dense matted hairs sometimes used as a styptic.