Aaron's beard

English

Alternative forms

Etymology

From the reference in Psalms 133:2 in the Bible.[1][2]

Pronunciation

  • (RP) IPA: /ˈɜːɹ.ənz bɪɹd/, /ˈæɹ.ənz bɪɹd/
  • (GenAm) IPA: /ˈɜɹ.ənz bɪɹd/, /ˈæɹ.ənz bɪɹd/

Noun

Aaron's beard (plural Aaron's beards)

  1. (botany) A common name for several plants, which have tufts of stamens, such as St. John's wort, Jerusalem star, strawberry geranium, Kenilworth ivy, but in particular the rose of Sharon, Hypericum calycinum.[1][2][First attested in the late 19th century.][1]
  2. Used other than as an idiom: see Aaron,‎ 's,‎ beard.

Translations

References

  1. 1.01.11.2 2003 [1933], Brown, Lesley editor, The Shorter Oxford English Dictionary, edition 5th, Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press, ISBN 978-0-19-860575-7, page 2:
  2. 2.02.1 1976 [1909], Gove, Philip Babcock editor, Webster's Third International Dictionary of the English Language Unabridged, Springfield, MA: G. & C. Merriam Co., ISBN 0-87779-101-5, page 3:
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Last modified on 30 December 2012, at 17:21