Definition of "duckweed"

duckweed

noun
countable and uncountable, plural duckweeds or duckweed
1. Any of several reduced floating aquatic plants in the subfamily Lemnoideae of the family Araceae.
  Quotations
  He that vvould diſcern the rudimentall ſtroak of a plant, may behold it in the Originall of Duckvveed, at the bigneſſe of a pins point, from convenient vvater in glaſſes, vvherein a vvatchfull eye may alſo diſcover the puncticular Originals of Perivvincles and Gnats.
  1658, Thomas Browne, “The Garden of Cyrus. […]. Chapter III.”, in Hydriotaphia, Urne-buriall, […] Together with The Garden of Cyrus, […], London: […] Hen[ry] Brome […], page 137
  But his face was a face of such happiness that, had you seen it, you would have understood indeed how that he had died happy, never knowing that cool and streaming silver for the duckweed in the pond.
  1909, H. G. Wells, The Beautiful Suit