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hart's-tongue

noun
variants: or hart's-tongue fern

Definition of hart's-tongue

plural hart's-tongues or hart's-tongue ferns
1 :a chiefly Eurasian fern (Phyllitis scolopendrium) with simple lanceolate fronds often auriculate at the base
2 :a tropical American fern (Polybotria cervina) of the family Polypodiaceae
3 :strap fern

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Origin and Etymology of hart's-tongue

hart's-tongue from Middle English hertestonge, from hertes (genitive of hert hart) + tonge tongue; hart's-tongue fern from hart's-tongue + fern; from the shape of the fronds

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