lawn

1 of 2

noun (1)

1
archaic : an open space between woods : glade
2
: ground (as around a house or in a garden or park) that is covered with grass and is kept mowed
3
: a relatively even layer of bacteria covering the surface of a culture medium
lawn adjective
or lawny
ˈlȯ-nē How to pronounce lawn (audio)
ˈlä-

lawn

2 of 2

noun (2)

: a fine sheer linen or cotton fabric of plain weave that is thinner than cambric
lawny adjective

Examples of lawn in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
The property contains a 500-year old oak tree on the side lawn. David Caraccio, Sacramento Bee, 22 May 2024 Pocketing doors lead outside, where a lounge overlooks a swimming pool, spa and lawn. Jack Flemming, Los Angeles Times, 22 May 2024 Toy Life Bean Bag Toss Game Buy on Amazon This easy-to-assemble lawn game for kids captures the fun of an arcade game without the coins. Lizzy Briskin, Peoplemag, 21 May 2024 Part of the tome of information left behind for the buyer explained how to mow the lawn — the neighbor’s lawn, that is. Lew Sichelman, Miami Herald, 19 May 2024 An upside-down flag, adopted by Trump supporters contesting the Biden victory, flew over the justice’s front lawn as the Supreme Court was considering an election case. Jodi Kantor, New York Times, 16 May 2024 Calling for an end to the Israel-Hamas war, organizers held a series of events on the lawn, such as rallies, teach-ins, religious services and workshops on poetry, painting and music. Sophie Carson, Journal Sentinel, 14 May 2024 Several surrounding homes rent out spots on their lawn, and the town of Speedway's Facebook page has been sharing nearby businesses who are offering spaces on their property on race day as well. Domenica Bongiovanni, The Indianapolis Star, 14 May 2024 Most have lawns in their front yards, but there are some unique gardens that show off the owners’ distinctive style. Caron Golden, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 May 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'lawn.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English launde, from Anglo-French land, launde wood, unwooded field, of Celtic origin; akin to Middle Irish lann land — more at land

Noun (2)

Middle English lawne, laund, probably from Laon, France

First Known Use

Noun (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of lawn was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near lawn

Cite this Entry

“Lawn.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lawn. Accessed 28 May. 2024.

Kids Definition

lawn

1 of 2 noun
ˈlȯn How to pronounce lawn (audio)
ˈlän
: ground covered with grass that is kept mowed

lawn

2 of 2 noun
: a fine sheer linen or cotton fabric
Etymology

Noun

Middle English launde "an open space between woods," from early French lande "land overgrown with shrubs"; of Celtic origin

Noun

Middle English lawn "a sheer fabric," probably from Laon, a town in France where linen was made

Medical Definition

lawn

noun
: a relatively even layer of bacteria covering the surface of a culture medium

More from Merriam-Webster on lawn

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