Broom

What is broom?

A broom refers to two primary concepts:

• Botanical: It describes various leguminous shrubs, such as those in the genera Cytisus and Genista, characterized by long, slender branches and yellow flowers.¹
• Tool: It is a cleaning implement consisting of stiff fibers or twigs bound to a long handle, used for sweeping. A variation known as a whisk broom is a smaller version with a short handle, typically used for light cleaning or as a clothes brush.¹²

Additionally, “to broom” is used as a transitive verb meaning to sweep or to finish a surface, such as concrete, using a broom.³

What materials were early brooms made from?

Early brooms were traditionally constructed from bundles of firm, stiff twigs or fibers bound together on a long handle. While the term “broom” originally referred to the leguminous shrubs themselves—which provided the raw materials for these early implements—later developments introduced other plant-based materials.¹

By the late 18th century, the use of broomcorn became common. This tall, cultivated sorghum features stiff-branched panicles that are specifically harvested to create corn brooms, which remain a standard design for sweeping. Additionally, certain varieties of broom, such as Spanish broom, were historically utilized for their flexible branches in other crafts, including basket weaving.⁴⁵⁶

How does a whisk broom differ from a standard broom?

A whisk broom differs from a standard broom primarily in its size and intended use. While a standard broom is designed with a long handle for sweeping floors, a whisk broom is a small, compact implement featuring a short handle. Because of its size, it is typically used for light cleaning tasks or as a brush for clothing rather than for sweeping large surface areas.³

What is the history of the broom in folklore and superstition?

The provided search results do not contain information regarding the history of the broom in folklore and superstition. While the term broomstick is defined as the handle of a broom and witches’-broom refers to an abnormal plant growth, these entries do not address the cultural or folkloric significance of the object itself.⁷⁸

Sorry, the Britannica knowledge base does not contain this information.