three sisters
Word Rarity
Uncommon
Frequency: Zipf frequency 4.41 in modern English
15
Scrabble Score
12
Letters
4
Syllables
6
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
The combination of maize (corn), pole beans (Phaseolus vulgaris or climbing beans, string beans, etc.), and squash (i.e. pumpkin), especially when planted together in intertwined plantings.
Canadian usage; American usage
noun
Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see three, sisters.
name
Synonym of Orion's Belt.
Example Sentences
- "One beautiful idea relates to the corn, beans and squashes, all indigenous plants which are called three sisters as well as their life or supporters. The thought is a happy one, for they grow together, and were always important in Indian life."
- "The three sisters work together as companion plants in many ways. Growing wide-spreading pumpkin vine among vertically oriented corn and beans saves space."
- "She gave me specifics on what to plant and the layout of the garden. Traditional Native American plants, heirloom varieties only, no GMOs allowed. Use the three sisters approach for planting corn, squash and beans, ilito onions would ring the interior of the fence and sunflowers would stand tall."
- "Perhaps the most beautiful conception in the mythology of the Iroquois, is that in relation to the Three Sisters, the Spirit of Corn, the Spirit of Beans, and the Spirit of Squashes."
- "They used to tell of three sisters who lived in the gardens, and watched over the corn, beans and squashes. We know that these vegetables live in the same soil; and the Indians said it was because the three sisters loved to be together, and never quarreled."
Etymology
A calque from an Iroquoian language, compare Mohawk áhsen nikontatenò:sen, Oneida áshʌnaɂtekutahnú·tele, and Onondaga ahsę́ naˀdegųdęhnų́·dæ·ˀ. First attested in 1850 in the context of Iroquoian mythology (see quote below). Use in reference to the plants themselves first attested in the 1890s (see also below).
Usage
Inflected Forms
the Three Sisters (canonical)