fern
fern \'f*rn\ \'f*rn-.li-k\ \'f*r-ne-\ n [ME, fr. OE fearn; akin to OHG farn fern, Skt parna wing, lea]f : any of numerous flowerless seedless plants constituting a class (Felicin eae) of lower vascular plants; esp : any of an order (Filicales) resembling seed plants in being differentiated into root, stem, and leaflike fronds and in having vascular tissue but differing in reproducing by spores - fern.like aj