cutty grass
Low to Mid (regional)Informal, regional
Definition
Meaning
A common name for various coarse-leaved grasses with sharp, serrated edges that can cut skin.
Often refers specifically to a perennial sedge-like plant (genus Carex or Cladium) native to New Zealand, Australia, and the Pacific islands, used traditionally for thatching and weaving.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Not a species name but a folk name for several species with saw-like leaf margins. Primary usage is in New Zealand, Australia, and Pacific Island contexts.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The term is rare to non-existent in British or American English. It's a regionalism of the Southern Hemisphere (esp. NZ). The concept of 'grass that cuts' exists, but the specific term 'cutty grass' is not used.
Connotations
For British/American speakers, it would sound exotic and descriptive. For speakers in regions where it's used, it has practical, everyday connotations of a nuisance plant.
Frequency
Virtually zero frequency in UK/US corpora. Higher frequency in New Zealand and Australian texts.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
Be careful of the [cutty grass]The [cutty grass] cut my leg.We cleared the [cutty grass] from the path.Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[none directly with 'cutty grass'; concept appears in phrases like 'as sharp as cutty grass']”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Not applicable.
Academic
Used in botanical, ecological, or anthropological studies of Pacific flora.
Everyday
Used in conversation when discussing outdoor activities, gardening, or native plants in NZ/Australia.
Technical
May appear in horticultural or land management guides as a plant to be controlled or identified.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- We need to cutty-grass the verges. (Invention for example, not standard)
American English
- [Not applicable]
adverb
British English
- [Not applicable]
American English
- [Not applicable]
adjective
British English
- The cutty-grass blades were a hazard. (Attributive use)
American English
- [Not applicable]
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The cutty grass is sharp.
- Don't touch the cutty grass.
- My ankle was scratched by cutty grass while hiking.
- Cutty grass often grows near wetlands.
- Despite its name, cutty grass is actually a type of sedge, not a true grass.
- Traditional Māori weaving sometimes utilises the tough fibres of cutty grass.
- The ecological management plan included controlling the spread of the invasive cutty grass to protect the native understory.
- Characterised by its serrated margins, cutty grass forms dense tussocks that dominate damp hillsides.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine cutting your finger on GRASS and saying "CUTTY!" (like 'ouch!'). CUTTY GRASS is the grass that makes you say that.
Conceptual Metaphor
NATURE AS AN ADVERSARY / PLANT AS A TOOL (due to its cutting property and historical use).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not translate literally as 'резаная трава' (cut grass, i.e., mown grass). It is 'трава, которая режет' or use the descriptive 'острая осока/трава'.
Common Mistakes
- Using it as a general term for any long grass. Confusing it with 'couch grass' or 'crabgrass'. Using it in non-Pacific contexts where it is unknown.
Practice
Quiz
In which regional variety of English is 'cutty grass' a common term?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It's not poisonous, but its sharp, saw-like leaf edges can easily cut skin, causing minor but painful lacerations.
You can, but most listeners will not recognise the term. It's better to use a descriptive phrase like 'sharp-edged grass' or 'grass that cuts' in those regions.
Historically, its long, tough leaves were used by Māori and other Pacific cultures for thatching roofs and weaving items like mats and baskets.
Yes. 'Cutty' is a Scots and Northern English word meaning 'short' or 'cut short', but also came to mean 'sharp' or 'apt to cut', which is the sense used here.