n.
Pronunciation: ' h ē th
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English heth, from Old English h ǣ th; akin to Old High German heida heather, Old Welsh coit forest
Date: before 12th century
1 a : a tract of wasteland b : an extensive area of rather level open uncultivated land usually with poor coarse soil, inferior drainage, and a surface rich in peat or peaty humus
2 a : any of a family (Ericaceae, the heath family) of shrubby dicotyledonous and often evergreen plants that thrive on open barren usually acid and ill-drained soil especially : an evergreen subshrub of either of two genera ( Erica and Calluna ) with whorls of needlelike leaves and clusters of small flowers b : any of various plants that resemble true heaths
– heath · less \ -l ə s \ adjective
– heath · like \ - ˌ l ī k \ adjective
– heathy \ ' h ē -th ē \ adjective