1. A fungus, usually of the class Ascomycetes, that grows symbiotically with algae, resulting in a composite organism that characteristically forms a crustlike or branching growth on rocks or tree trunks. 2.Pathology Any of various skin diseases characterized by patchy eruptions of small, firm papules.
TRANSITIVE VERB:
Inflected forms: li·chened, li·chen·ing, li·chens To cover with lichens.
ETYMOLOGY:
Latin lchn, a kind of plant, from Greek leikhn, from leikhein, to lick. See leigh- in Appendix I.
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n, a kind of plant, from Greek leikh
