virgate

¹

[ vur-git, -geyt ]

adjective

1. shaped like a rod or wand; long, slender, and straight.

virgate

²

[ vur-git, -geyt ]

noun

1. an early English measure of land of varying extent, usually considered equivalent to a quarter of a hide, or about 30 acres (12 hectares).

virgate

¹

/ -ɡeɪt; ˈvɜːɡɪt /

noun

1. an obsolete measure of land area, usually taken as equivalent to 30 acres

virgate

²

/ -ɡeɪt; ˈvɜːɡɪt /

adjective

1. long, straight, and thin; rod-shaped

   virgate stems

Word History and Origins

Origin of virgate¹

1815–25; < Latin virgātus; virga, -ate ¹

Origin of virgate²

1645–55; < Medieval Latin virgāta ( terrae ) measure (of land), feminine of Latin virgātus pertaining to a rod; virgate ¹; translation Old English gierd landes yard-measure of land

Word History and Origins

Origin of virgate¹

C17: from Medieval Latin virgāta ( terrae ) a rod's measurement (of land), from Latin virga rod; the phrase is a translation of Old English gierd landes a yard of land

Origin of virgate²

C19: from Latin virgātus made of twigs, from virga a rod

Example Sentences

Stem 1–4° high, terminated by a simple virgate or several panicled spikes; leaves thickish; calyx tubular-campanulate, its teeth half the length of the tube; corolla 1´ long.—Wet grounds, from N. Vt. west and southward.

From Project Gutenberg

Seashore 13 Panicle virgate or thyrsoid; leaves nearly entire 14–17 Heads very small in a short broad panicle; leaves nearly entire 18–20 Heads racemosely paniculate; leaves ample, the lower serrate 21–28 § 1.

From Project Gutenberg

Heads small, in a narrow virgate or thyrsoid panicle; scales thin, acute; leaves nearly entire.

From Project Gutenberg

Low, more or less pubescent; leaves ovate-oblong to cuneate-lanceolate, usually acute and minutely serrulate, thinnish, shining at least above; flower-clusters sometimes virgate on naked branches; corolla rose-color; berry black.—In swamps, south of our range, but represented by Var. tenéllum, Gray.

From Project Gutenberg

Wholly glabrous excepting the viscid ovate sepals, 2–3° high; leaves oblong or ovate-lanceolate, entire or sparsely toothed, the floral shorter than the remote dense clusters of the virgate thyrse; corolla 9´´ long, the narrow tube gradually dilated upward, white or whitish.—Low prairies, Kan. and Ark. 6.

From Project Gutenberg