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Hay vs Alfalfa - What's the difference?

hay | alfalfa |

In uncountable|lang=en terms the difference between hay and alfalfa

is that hay is (uncountable) grass cut and dried for use as animal fodder while alfalfa is (uncountable) a plant, principally of medicago sativa , grown as a pasture crop.

In countable|lang=en terms the difference between hay and alfalfa

is that hay is (countable) any mix of green leafy plants used for fodder while alfalfa is (countable) a type or breed of this plant.

As nouns the difference between hay and alfalfa

is that hay is (uncountable) grass cut and dried for use as animal fodder or hay can be the name of the letter for the h sound in pitman shorthand while alfalfa is (uncountable) a plant, principally of medicago sativa , grown as a pasture crop.

As a verb hay

is to cut grasses or herb plants for use as animal fodder.

hay

English

Etymology 1

(etyl) (m), from (etyl) . More at (l).

Noun

  • (uncountable) Grass cut and dried for use as animal fodder.
  • * Camden
    • Make hay while the sun shines.
  • * C. L. Flint
    • Hay may be dried too much as well as too little.
  • (countable) Any mix of green leafy plants used for fodder.
  • (slang) Cannabis; marijuana.
  • * 1947 , William Burroughs, letter, 19 Feb 1947:
    • I would like some of that hay . Enclose $20.
  • A net set around the haunt of an animal, especially a rabbit.
    • (Rowe)
  • (obsolete) A hedge.
  • (obsolete) A circular country dance.
    • to dance the hay
    Derived terms
    * hay fever * hayloft, hay loft * haystack * hayward * hit the hay * make hay while the sun shines
    External links
    * (wikipedia)

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To cut grasses or herb plants for use as animal fodder.
  • To lay snares for rabbits.
    • (Huloet)

    Related terms

    * bale * straw

    References

    Webster's Online Dictionary article on hay

    Etymology 2

    : From the sound it represents, by analogy with other letters such as kay'' and ''gay''. The expected form in English if the ''h'' had survived in the Latin name of the letter "h", ''h? .

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • The name of the letter for the h sound in Pitman shorthand.
    • Related terms
    * aitch, the name of the Latin letter for this sound

    Anagrams

    * * * ----

    alfalfa

    English

    Noun

  • (uncountable) A plant, principally of Medicago sativa , grown as a pasture crop.
  • (countable) A type or breed of this plant.

    • Synonyms

    * lucerne (British)

    External links

    * ("alfalfa" on Wikipedia) * (Medicago sativa) * * * ----