Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun In botany, a kind of inflorescence consisting of unisexual apetalous flowers growing in the axils of scales or bracts ranged along a stalk or axis; a catkin. The true ament or catkin is articulated with the branch and is deciduous; it is well seen in the inflorescence of the birch, willow, and poplar, and in the staminate inflorescence of the oak, walnut, and hazel. Also written amentum.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun (Bot.) A species of inflorescence; a catkin.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun A catkin or amentum
  • noun A congenital idiot

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun a cylindrical spikelike inflorescence

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Latin āmentum, strap.]

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Examples

  • Their policy is deeply at odds with the majority of Canadians and of Parli ament.

    let them stay week, day one: are you writing those letters? 2009

  • The young bride and young groom were matched in temper-ament and agreeable looks and could barely keep their eyes off each other.

    "A Wedding Feast" (a lost parable of Jesus) 2009

  •            The young bride and young groom were matched in temper-ament and agreeable looks and could barely keep their eyes off each other.

    "A Wedding Feast" (a lost parable of Jesus) 2009

  • Geddes was not Jewish, but he was very familiar with the Old Test­ament and was committed to Utopian ideals that could be applied to the new Jewish homeland.

    The Bauhaus Moved to Tel Aviv Hels 2008

  • Geddes was not Jewish, but he was very familiar with the Old Test­ament and was committed to Utopian ideals that could be applied to the new Jewish homeland.

    Archive 2008-12-01 Hels 2008

  • 'Tis generally true; for as he observes, [5691] Priorem flammam novus ignis extrudit; et ea multorum natura, ut praesentes maxime ament, one fire drives out another; and such is women's weakness, that they love commonly him that is present.

    Anatomy of Melancholy 2007

  • For either, as he follows it, [5912] you must allow them concubines, or suffer them to marry, for scarce shall you find three priests of three thousand, qui per aetatem non ament, that are not troubled with burning lust.

    Anatomy of Melancholy 2007

  • Thank you Bones, but I would like to ament one tiny part.

    Think Progress » New Orleans levees still might not be ready. 2006

  • A silly tyrant said, oderint modo timeant; a wise man would have said, modo ament nihil timendum est mihi.

    Letters to his son on The Art of Becoming a Man of the World and a Gentleman 2005

  • "In the future, Ernie, when I start tossing superlatives, give me a swift kick and remind me of time I allowed an entire show to be based on one ament al fruit."

    Temporary Wife Kilby, Joan 1999

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