Main Entry: brack·en

Pronunciation: \ˈbra-kən\

Function: noun

Etymology: Middle English braken, probably of Scandinavian origin; akin to Old Swedish brækne fern

Date: 14th century

1 : a large coarse fern; especially : a nearly cosmopolitan brake (Pteridium aquilinum) found in most tropical and temperate regions
2 : a growth of brakes