\Moss\, n. [OE. mos; akin to AS. me['o]s, D. mos, G. moos,
OHG. mos, mios, Icel. mosi, Dan. mos, Sw. mossa, Russ. mokh',
L. muscus. Cf. {Muscoid}.]
1. (Bot.) A cryptogamous plant of a cellular structure, with
   distinct stem and simple leaves. The fruit is a small
   capsule usually opening by an apical lid, and so
   discharging the spores. There are many species,
   collectively termed Musci, growing on the earth, on rocks,
   and trunks of trees, etc., and a few in running water.
Note: The term moss is also popularly applied to many other
      small cryptogamic plants, particularly lichens, species
      of which are called tree moss, rock moss, coral moss,
      etc. Fir moss and club moss are of the genus
      {Lycopodium}. See {Club moss}, under {Club}, and
      {Lycopodium}.
2. A bog; a morass; a place containing peat; as, the mosses
   of the Scottish border.
Note: Moss is used with participles in the composition of
      words which need no special explanation; as,
      moss-capped, moss-clad, moss-covered, moss-grown, etc.
{Black moss}. See under {Black}, and {Tillandsia}.
{Bog moss}. See {Sphagnum}.
{Feather moss}, any moss branched in a feathery manner, esp.
   several species of the genus {Hypnum}.
{Florida moss}, {Long moss}, or {Spanish moss}. See
   {Tillandsia}.
{Iceland moss}, a lichen. See {Iceland Moss}.
{Irish moss}, a seaweed. See {Carrageen}.
{Moss agate} (Min.), a variety of agate, containing brown,
   black, or green mosslike or dendritic markings, due in
   part to oxide of manganese. Called also {Mocha stone}.
{Moss animal} (Zo["o]l.), a bryozoan.
{Moss berry} (Bot.), the small cranberry ({Vaccinium
   Oxycoccus}).
{Moss campion} (Bot.), a kind of mosslike catchfly ({Silene
   acaulis}), with mostly purplish flowers, found on the
   highest mountains of Europe and America, and within the
   Arctic circle.
{Moss land}, land produced accumulation of aquatic plants,
   forming peat bogs of more or less consistency, as the
   water is grained off or retained in its pores.
{Moss pink} (Bot.), a plant of the genus {Phlox} ({P.
   subulata}), growing in patches on dry rocky hills in the
   Middle United States, and often cultivated for its
   handsome flowers. --Gray.
{Moss rose} (Bot.), a variety of rose having a mosslike
   growth on the stalk and calyx. It is said to be derived
   from the Provence rose.
{Moss rush} (Bot.), a rush of the genus {Juncus} ({J.
   squarrosus}).
{Scale moss}. See {Hepatica}.

\Moss\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Mossed}; p. pr. & vb. n.
{Mossing}.]
To cover or overgrow with moss.
      An oak whose boughs were mossed with age. --Shak.