Definition: Garden

From New World Encyclopedia

Etymology

From Middle English gardyn, garden, from Anglo-Norman gardin, from Frankish *gardin-, oblique stem of *gardō (enclosure, yard), from Proto-Germanic *gardô (enclosure, garden, house), whence also inherited English yard. (compare Old French jart alongside jardin, Medieval Latin gardinus).

Noun

garden (plural gardens)

  1. An outdoor area containing one or more types of plants, usually plants grown for food or ornamental purposes.
    I used to have a vegetable garden.
    1. (in the plural) Such an ornamental place to which the public have access.
      You can spend the afternoon walking around the town gardens.
    2. Taking place in, or used in, such a garden.
      I want to have a garden party.
  2. (Britain, Ireland, Appalachia) The grounds at the front or back of a house.
    This house has a swimming pool, a tent, a swing set and a fountain in the garden.
    We were drinking lemonade and playing croquet in the garden.
    Our garden is overgrown with weeds.
  3. (cartomancy) The twentieth Lenormand card.
  4. A cluster; a bunch.

Derived terms

  • alpine garden
  • beer garden
  • botanical garden
  • castle garden
  • Chinese garden
  • coral garden
  • English garden
  • flower garden
  • fruit garden
  • garden gnome
  • garden hose
  • garden party
  • garden path
  • garden salad
  • herb garden
  • rock garden
  • roof garden
  • rose garden
  • tea garden
  • vegetable garden
  • walled garden
  • water garden
  • Zen garden

Verb

garden (third-person singular simple present gardens, present participle gardening, simple past and past participle gardened)

  1. To grow plants in a garden; to create or maintain a garden.
    I love to garden; this year I'm going to plant some daffodils.
  2. (cricket) Of a batsman, to inspect and tap the pitch lightly with the bat so as to smooth out small rough patches and irregularities.

Derived terms

Adjective

garden (not comparable)

  1. Common, ordinary, domesticated.

Credits

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