lawn

¹

[lawn]

noun

1. a stretch of open, grass-covered land, especially one closely mowed, as near a house, on an estate, or in a park.

2. Archaic.,  a glade.

lawn

²

[lawn]

noun

1. a thin or sheer linen or cotton fabric, either plain or printed.

lawn

¹

/ lɔːn /

noun

1. a flat and usually level area of mown and cultivated grass

2. an archaic or dialect word for glade

lawn

²

/ lɔːn /

noun

1. a fine linen or cotton fabric, used for clothing

Other Word Forms

• lawny adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of lawn¹

1250–1300; Middle English launde < Middle French lande glade < Celtic; compare Breton lann heath. See land

Origin of lawn²

1375–1425; late Middle English lawnd, laun, perhaps named after Laon, where linen-making once flourished

Word History and Origins

Origin of lawn¹

C16: changed form of C14 launde, from Old French lande, of Celtic origin; compare Breton lann heath; related to _land

Origin of lawn²

C15: probably from Laon, a town in France where linen was made

Example Sentences

We're waiting on a housing estate in a leafy suburb where most of the houses have perfectly-maintained front lawns and expensive cars on the drives.

From BBC

Tom mowed lawns, washed cars and ran a lemonade stand.

From Los Angeles Times

Their frontyard was pathetic; basically 1,500 square feet of weeds and parched patches of Bermuda lawn.

From Los Angeles Times

This was torn out by future First Lady Ellen Axson Wilson in favor of a long, symmetrical lawn bounded by roses.

From Salon

Couples sweetly danced together at their seats and back on the lawn.

From Salon

Related Words

• backyard 
• garden 
• grass 
• green 
• park 
• terrace 
• yard