n. [ Etymology uncertain. ] [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. A sort of hunting dog; -- perhaps from Lucerne, in Switzerland. [ 1913 Webster ]

My lucerns, too, or dogs inured to hunt
Beasts of most rapine. Chapman. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. An animal whose fur was formerly much in request (by some supposed to be the lynx). [ Written also lusern and luzern. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

The polecat, mastern, and the richskinned lucern
I know to chase. Beau. & Fl. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. luzerne. ] (Bot.) A leguminous plant (Medicago sativa), having bluish purple cloverlike flowers, cultivated for fodder; -- called also alfalfa. [ Written also lucerne. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. lucerna. ] A lamp. [ Obs. ] Lydgate. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. lucerna a lamp. ] Of or pertaining to a lamp. [ 1913 Webster ]

Lucernal microscope, a form of the microscope in which the object is illuminated by means of a lamp, and its image is thrown upon a plate of ground glass connected with the instrument, or on a screen independent of it. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ NL., fr. L. lucerna a lamp. ] (Zool.) A genus of acalephs, having a bell-shaped body with eight groups of short tentacles around the margin. It attaches itself by a sucker at the base of the pedicel. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. (Zool.) Of or pertaining to the Lucernarida. -- n. One of the Lucernarida. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. pl. [ NL. See Lucernaria. ] (Zool.) (a) A division of acalephs, including Lucernaria and allied genera; -- called also Calycozoa. (b) A more extensive group of acalephs, including both the true Lucernarida and the Discophora. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Bot.) See Lucern, the plant. [ 1913 Webster ]