Standard Lemma guide

esparto

name · noun · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • rhymes with -ɑː(ɹ)təʊ

1

name

Meaning 1

A census-designated place in Yolo County, California, United States.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

Either of two species of perennial grasses used for fibre production, and for making paper:

Stipa tenacissima, of North Africa.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: halfa, esparto grass, halfah grass, needlegrass

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

Either of two species of perennial grasses used for fibre production, and for making paper:

Lygeum spartum, of the Mediterranean.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: albardine, esparto grass, cord grass

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Borrowed from Spanish esparto.

From Spanish esparto, via Latin spartum from Ancient Greek σπάρτον (spárton, “rope, cable; esparto or halfah grass”), valued for its high tensile strength, used for cords and wicker, and exported by Spanish Greek colonies throughout the Mediterranian.

Across languages

Translations

29 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Arabic: حَلْفَاء (ḥalfāʔ) — species of North African grass
  • Armenian: սպանյախոտ (spanyaxot) — species of North African grass
  • Armenian: ալֆախոտ (alfaxot) — species of North African grass
  • Bulgarian: алфа (alfa) — species of North African grass
  • Catalan: espart — species of North African grass
  • Chinese Mandarin: 茅草 (máocǎo) — species of North African grass
  • Danish: espartogræs — species of North African grass
  • Danish: alfagræs — species of North African grass
  • Esperanto: esparto — species of North African grass
  • French: alfa — species of North African grass
  • Galician: esparto — species of North African grass
  • German: Halfagras — species of North African grass
  • Ancient Greek: ἀμπελόδεσμος (ampelódesmos) — species of North African grass
  • Irish: alfa — species of North African grass
  • Italian: alfa — species of North African grass
  • Japanese: アフリカハネガヤ — species of North African grass
  • Latin: spartum — species of North African grass
  • Norwegian Bokmål: alfa — species of North African grass
  • Norwegian Bokmål: alfagress — species of North African grass
  • Norwegian Bokmål: alfagras — species of North African grass
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: alfa — species of North African grass
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: alfagras — species of North African grass
  • Portuguese: esparto — species of North African grass
  • Romanian: alfa — species of North African grass
  • Russian: эспарто (esparto) — species of North African grass
  • Spanish: esparto — species of North African grass
  • Swedish: espartogräs — species of North African grass
  • Tarifit: ari — species of North African grass
  • Tarifit: tiyeẓḍent — species of North African grass