Awn
/ɔːn/noun
A slender, bristle-like projection from the husk or flowering part of grasses and grains.
Did you know?Awn is connected through an ancient Indo-European root meaning “sharp” or “pointed” to words such as “acute” and “edge.”
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*ak-
“Sharp, pointed, or piercing”
Proto-Germanic
Proto-Germanic
*agō
“A point, thorn, or sharp projection”
Old English
Old English
agn
“The bristle or beard of a grain ear”
Middle English
Middle English
awn
“A bristle on a grain or grass”
Modern English
English
awn
“A slender bristle growing from the husk or flower of a grass or cereal”