noun
calamus
Calamus (noun) means a marsh plant with sword-shaped leaves, also known as sweet flag.
noun
1
A marsh plant with sword-shaped leaves, also known as sweet flag.
2
The stiff, hollow, see-through part at the base of a feather's stem; a quill.
"Chapin asserted that the calamus is firmly fixed in the wing"
— CH Fry, Structural and functional adaptation to display in the Standard‐winged nightjar Macrodipteryx longipennis (1969)
"In follicles late in feather growth, after rupture of the feather sheath, this canal contained the upper part of the calamus."
— RIC Spearman, The epidermis and feather follicles of the king penguin (Aptenodytes patagonica) (aves) (1969)
3
A type of sea fish belonging to a particular group of porgies.
4
A climbing palm tree belonging to the rattan group.
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Etymology
Learned borrowing from Latin calamus (“reed, cane”). Doublet of culm, haulm, helm (Etymology 4, stalk), qalam, and shawm.
Synonyms
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Rhymes for calamus
See all rhymes for calamus →Frequently asked questions
What is the meaning of calamus?
"calamus" (noun) means a marsh plant with sword-shaped leaves, also known as sweet flag.
What is another word for calamus?
Other words for "calamus" include quill, flagroot, shaft.
What are the different meanings of calamus?
"calamus" has 3 main meanings: 1. A marsh plant with sword-shaped leaves, also known as sweet flag; 2. The stiff, hollow, see-through part at the base of a feather's stem; a quill; 3. A type of sea fish belonging to a particular group of porgies.
