n. [ Etymology uncertain. ] [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]
My lucerns, too, or dogs inured to hunt
Beasts of most rapine. Chapman. [ 1913 Webster ]
The polecat, mastern, and the richskinned lucern
I know to chase. Beau. & Fl. [ 1913 Webster ]
n. [ F. luzerne. ] (Bot.) A leguminous plant (Medicago sativa), having bluish purple cloverlike flowers, cultivated for fodder; -- called also
n. [ L. lucerna. ] A lamp. [ Obs. ] Lydgate. [ 1913 Webster ]
a. [ L. lucerna a lamp. ] Of or pertaining to a lamp. [ 1913 Webster ]
Lucernal microscope,
‖n. [ NL., fr. L. lucerna a lamp. ] (Zool.) A genus of acalephs, having a bell-shaped body with eight groups of short tentacles around the margin. It attaches itself by a sucker at the base of the pedicel. [ 1913 Webster ]
a. (Zool.) Of or pertaining to the Lucernarida. --
‖n. pl. [ NL. See Lucernaria. ] (Zool.)
n. (Bot.) See Lucern, the plant. [ 1913 Webster ]