Culm
/kʌlm/noun
The stalk or stem of a grain or grass plant, especially the hollow stem of grasses and bamboos; also a form of coal dust or waste coal.
Did you know?Culm comes from Latin *culmus*, meaning the stalk or stem of grain, and it’s the same ancient plant-root behind words for cereal crops and grassy stems in related languages.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*kel-
“to rise, to be prominent, to project”
Latin
Latin
culmus
“the stalk or stem of grain; a grass stalk”
Old French
Old French
culm
“stalk, stem”
Middle English
English
culm
“a stalk or stem of grain; later, coal waste or fine coal”
Modern English
English
culm
“the stalk of a grass or grain plant; also coal dust or waste coal”