reed
n. countablen. a tall, thin plant that grows in or near water. It has a hollow stem that people sometimes use to make things like mats or parts of musical instruments.
n. a tall, slender perennial grass or sedge growing in marshy or aquatic habitats. In a musical context, it refers to a thin strip of material, such as cane or metal, that vibrates to produce sound in certain wind instruments.
The wind blows through the tall reed by the river.
The musician carefully adjusted the reed on his saxophone before the concert began.
Traditional artisans still harvest the local reed to weave durable floor mats, a practice that has sustained the village economy for generations.
* As an English and Scottish surname, from the adjective red. Also as an English surname, from Old English rēodan (“to clear out”), from Proto-West Germanic reudan. * Also as an English surname, from several places in England, such as Reed, Lancashire (from Old English ra (“roe deer”) or Rede, Suffolk (see Rede). Compare Rider, Reader.
Often used collectively in the singular to describe a mass of the plants, though individual stems are countable.