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fescue

noun
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fes·​cue | \ ˈfe-(ˌ)skyü How to pronounce fescue (audio) \

Definition of fescue

1 : a small pointer (such as a stick) used to point out letters to children learning to read
2 : any of a genus (Festuca) of tufted perennial grasses with panicled spikelets

Examples of fescue in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Even cool-season grasses like fescue and ryegrass will be sluggish at best. — Neil Sperry, ExpressNews.com, "Autumn sage salvia blooms best after extensive pruning, just like bush roses," 12 Dec. 2019 Fine fescue does not handle heavy traffic well (nor do the bentgrasses). — oregonlive, "Are drought conditions or boring insects killing trees in the Willamette Valley? Ask an expert," 27 Sep. 2019 The bunkers are penal, composed of a dark, heavy dirt and surrounded by fescue. — San Diego Union-Tribune, "Goat caddies are only hint of fun to be had at Oregon’s Silvies Ranch," 5 Oct. 2019 The fairways are firm and lined by fescue on both sides, and egregiously deep pot bunkers guard the greens. — Bobby Sullivan, SI.com, "Sleepers Who Could Challenge for the Open Championship," 17 July 2019 Cool-season grasses like Kentucky blue grass, ryegrass and fescue are their preferred turf for egg laying. — Betty Cahill, The Denver Post, "How to get bad insects out of your garden, from Japanese beetles to spider mites," 24 June 2019 The fescue grass on the greens at Chambers Bay in 2015 was all but dead when the tournament started, and putting was severely difficult by Sunday. — Doug Ferguson, BostonGlobe.com, "USGA hopes to have the right formula for this US Open," 10 June 2019 For four straight days, Stricker made quick work of Warren’s bent-grass fairways and greens while staying far from the fescue rough, grown out to 3½ inches in some places. — Mike Berardino, Indianapolis Star, "Steve Stricker and caddie/wife Nicki make U.S. Senior Open a family affair," 30 June 2019 But his ball ended up in a horrible lie in deep fescue next to the greenside bunker. — San Diego Union-Tribune, "Fate seems on Woodland’s side in U.S. Open; can it last?," 16 June 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'fescue.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of fescue

1589, in the meaning defined at sense 1

History and Etymology for fescue

Middle English festu stalk, straw, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin festucum, from Latin festuca

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Time Traveler for fescue

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The first known use of fescue was in 1589

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Last Updated

19 Dec 2019

Cite this Entry

“Fescue.” The Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster Inc., https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fescue. Accessed 23 January 2020.

More from Merriam-Webster on fescue

Rhyming Dictionary: Words that rhyme with fescue

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about fescue

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