culm
See also: Culm
English
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /kʌlm/
Audio (Southern England) (file) - Rhymes: -ʌlm
Etymology 1
From Middle English culme, colme (“fragments of coal”), of uncertain origin. Probably from Old English *colm, related to Old English col (“coal”). Alternatively, perhaps from Welsh cwlm (“knot or tie”), applied to this species of coal, which is much found in balls or knots in some parts of Wales.
Noun
culm (countable and uncountable, plural culms)
- Waste coal, used as a poor quality fuel; slack.
- 1887, Homer Greene, chapter XXI, in Burnham Breaker:
- Here he lay down on a place soft with culm, to take his contemplated rest, and, before he was aware of it, sleep had descended on him, overpowered him, and bound him fast.
- Anthracite, especially when found in small masses.
Derived terms
Etymology 2
Borrowed from Latin culmus. Doublet of calame, calamus, and haulm; further related to caramel, chalumeau and shawm.
Noun
culm (plural culms)
Derived terms
Translations
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