culm1

[kuhlm] /kʌlm/
noun
1.
coal dust; slack.
2.
anthracite, especially of inferior grade.
Origin
1300-50; Middle English colme, probably equivalent to col coal + -m suffix of uncertain meaning (compare -m in Old English fæthm fathom, wæstm growth)

culm2

[kuhlm] /kʌlm/
noun
1.
a stem or stalk, especially the jointed and usually hollow stem of grasses.
verb (used without object)
2.
to grow or develop into a culm.
Origin
1650-60; < Latin culmus stalk; akin to calamus, haulm
Examples from the web for culm
  • Anthracite culm availability is more than sufficient for the demonstration period.
  • The leaves of the lower culm become light deprived as the plant grows and are replaced with new leaves higher up the culm.
  • Plants that flowered early and had reduced culm length were identified as mutants and harvested individually.
British Dictionary definitions for culm

culm1

/kʌlm/
noun (mining)
1.
coal-mine waste
2.
inferior anthracite
Word Origin
C14: probably related to coal

culm2

/kʌlm/
noun
1.
the hollow jointed stem of a grass or sedge
Word Origin
C17: from Latin culmus stalk; see haulm

Culm

noun
1.
a formation consisting mainly of shales and sandstone deposited during the Carboniferous period in parts of Europe
Word Origin
C19: from culm1
culm in Science
culm
  (kŭlm)   
The stem of a grass or similar plant.