reed

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   A tall, thin plant with a hollow stem that grows in or near water.

   Ducks hid among the reeds at the edge of the pond.

2. 2
   noun

   A thin strip of wood or metal in some instruments that vibrates to make a sound.

   The clarinetist fitted a new reed onto the mouthpiece.

From Middle English red, reed, from Old English hrēod, from Proto-West Germanic *hreud, of uncertain origin. Akin to Saterland Frisian Rait (“reed”), West Frisian reid (“reed”), Dutch riet (“reed”), German Ried (“reed”). No cognates in North Germanic languages, but the existence of an otherwise unattested Gothic *𐌷𐍂𐌹𐌿𐌳 (*hriud) was supposed by the brothers Grimm. They also theorised that the word may have a relation to the retas mentioned in Noctes Atticae (Aulus Gellius). The measuring reed sense is the translation of Akkadian qanûm ("cane") used in the Bible and elsewhere.

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