Word
lichen
US/ˈɫaɪkən/
UK/lˈaɪkən/
Definition
n. a small plant that grows on rocks, trees, or walls. It is actually a mix of two different living things working together.
n. a composite organism that arises from the symbiotic relationship between a fungus and a photosynthetic partner, such as an alga or cyanobacterium.
Examples
“The old stone wall was covered in green lichen.”
“Because lichen is very sensitive to air quality, scientists often use it to measure pollution levels in a forest.”
“The lichen's ability to survive in extreme environments, such as the polar regions or the surface of a rock, makes it a subject of interest for astrobiologists studying potential life on other planets.”
Examples
simple
“The old stone wall was covered in green lichen.”
contextual
“Because lichen is very sensitive to air quality, scientists often use it to measure pollution levels in a forest.”
complex
“The lichen's ability to survive in extreme environments, such as the polar regions or the surface of a rock, makes it a subject of interest for astrobiologists studying potential life on other planets.”
Real-World Examples
“Wizen was photographing a lichen dragon katydid measuring just 15mm long, making it difficult to distinguish from the lichen around it.” “They are extremely difficult to spot; Suryawanshi observes that their “ochre-and-dust-colour coat with its irregular rosettes looks exactly like a rock covered with lichens”.” Etymology
Borrowed from Latin līchēn, from Ancient Greek λειχήν (leikhḗn), from λείχω (leíkhō, “to lick”). Originally used of liverwort; the modern sense first recorded 1715.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/lichen