Marsh word meaning and definition

[noun] low-lying wet land with grassy vegetation; usually is a transition zone between land and water; "thousands of acres of marshland"; "the fens of eastern England"
[noun] New Zealand writer of detective stories (1899-1982)
[noun] United States painter (1898-1954)

\Marsh\, n. [OE. mersch, AS. mersc, fr. mere lake. See {Mere} pool, and cf. {Marish}, {Morass}.] A tract of soft wet land, commonly covered partially or wholly with water; a fen; a swamp; a morass. [Written also {marish}.] {Marsh asphodel} (Bot.), a plant ({Nartheeium ossifragum}) with linear equitant leaves, and a raceme of small white flowers; -- called also {bog asphodel}. {Marsh cinquefoil} (Bot.), a plant ({Potentilla palustris}) having purple flowers, and found growing in marshy places; marsh five-finger. {Marsh elder}. (Bot.)
(a) The guelder-rose or cranberry tree ({Viburnum Opulus}).
(b) In the United States, a composite shrub growing in salt marshes ({Iva frutescens}). {Marsh five-finger}. (Bot.) See {Marsh cinquefoil} (above). {Marsh gas}. (Chem.) See under {Gas}. {Marsh grass} (Bot.), a genus ({Spartina}) of coarse grasses growing in marshes; -- called also {cord grass}. The tall {S. cynosuroides} is not good for hay unless cut very young. The low {S. juncea} is a common component of salt hay. {Marsh harrier} (Zo["o]l.), a European hawk or harrier ({Circus [ae]ruginosus}); -- called also {marsh hawk}, {moor hawk}, {moor buzzard}, {puttock}. {Marsh hawk}. (Zo["o]l.)
(a) A hawk or harrier ({Circus cyaneus}), native of both America and Europe. The adults are bluish slate above, with a white rump. Called also {hen harrier}, and {mouse hawk}.
(b) The marsh harrier. {Marsh hen} (Zo["o]l.), a rail; esp., {Rallus elegans} of fresh-water marshes, and {R. longirostris} of salt-water marshes. {Marsh mallow} (Bot.), a plant of the genus {Alth[ae]a} ( {A. officinalis}) common in marshes near the seashore, and whose root is much used in medicine as a demulcent. {Marsh marigold}. (Bot.) See in the Vocabulary. {Marsh pennywort} (Bot.), any plant of the umbelliferous genus {Hydrocotyle}; low herbs with roundish leaves, growing in wet places; -- called also {water pennywort}. {Marsh quail} (Zo["o]l.), the meadow lark. {Marsh rosemary} (Bot.), a plant of the genus {Statice} ({S. Limonium}), common in salt marshes. Its root is powerfully astringent, and is sometimes used in medicine. Called also {sea lavender}. {Marsh samphire} (Bot.), a plant ({Salicornia herbacea}) found along seacoasts. See {Glasswort}. {Marsh St. John's-wort} (Bot.), an American herb ({Elodes Virginica}) with small opposite leaves and flesh-colored flowers. {Marsh tea}. (Bot.). Same as {Labrador tea}. {Marsh trefoil}. (Bot.) Same as {Buckbean}. {Marsh wren} (Zo["o]l.), any species of small American wrens of the genus {Cistothorus}, and allied genera. They chiefly inhabit salt marshes.

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