Main Entry:

¹reed

Pronunciation:

\ˈrēd\

Function:

noun

Etymology:

Middle English rede, from Old English hrēod; akin to Old High German hriot reed

Date:

before 12th century

1 a: any of various tall grasses with slender often prominently jointed stems that grow especially in wet areas b: a stem of a reed c: a person or thing too weak to rely on : one easily swayed or overcome2: a growth or mass of reeds ; specifically : reeds for thatching3: arrow4: a wind instrument made from the hollow joint of a plant5: an ancient Hebrew unit of length equal to six cubits6 a: a thin elastic tongue (as of cane, wood, metal, or plastic) fastened at one end over an air opening in a wind instrument (as a clarinet, organ pipe, or accordion) and set in vibration by an air current b: a woodwind instrument that produces sound by the vibrating of a reed against the mouthpiece <the reeds of an orchestra>7: a device on a loom resembling a comb and used to space warp yarns evenly8: reeding 1a

— reed·like \-ˌlīk\ adjective

[reed illustration]