fernˈing noun (medicine)

(of cervical mucus, etc) a tendency to develop a feathery or fern-like appearance

fernˈy adjective

fernˈallyˈ /-alˈ/ noun

Any vascular flowerless plant that is not a true a fern, eg equisetum

fernˈbird noun

A small brown-and-white New Zealand bird, Bowdleria punctata, related to the warblers, which is found in swamps and marshy scrub and which has somewhat fern-like tail feathers

fern land noun

(in New Zealand) land covered or formerly covered by bracken

fernˈ-owl noun

1. The nightjar
2. The short-eared owl

fernˈ-seed noun

The spores of ferns, once believed to confer invisibility

fernˈshaw noun

A thicket of ferns

fernˈtickle or fernˈticle noun (obsolete or dialect)

, also fairˈnitickle, fairˈniticle, fairˈnytickle, fairˈnyticle, ferˈnitickle, ferˈniticle, ferˈnytickle or ferˈnyticle (Scot) a freckle

fernˈtickled or fernˈticled adjective