Adiantum

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A genus of ferns that are distinguished by their feathery appearance and thrive in humid, shady settings
2. A group of vascular plants featuring finely divided leaves that typically grow in wet and sheltered locations
3. A type of fern characterized by delicate, lacy foliage often found in moist, shaded environments

Etymology: Adiantum is the scientific name of a genus of ferns, the maidenhair ferns, and the word is simply the genus name carried over into English. Its root is the Greek "adiantos," meaning "unwetted" or "dry," a reference to the way the fronds shed water rather than holding it. That is a striking contrast with the plants' preferred habitat, since many species grow in damp, shaded places such as cliff faces and streamsides. The name was given by botanists who used Greek roots to label plant genera, and the English form follows the Latinised classification. Because the genus is so widely grown, the word is used mainly in horticulture and botany, where it refers to the whole group rather than any single fern. Its central idea, a leaf that repels moisture, is the reverse of what the plant's wet surroundings would suggest.