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Glite Dictionary
American holly

American holly

5.5
A tree with shiny prickly leaves and bright red berries used for Christmas decoration
  • noun
  • /əˈmɛrɪkən ˈhɑli/
  • US
translation icon : acebo americano

Examples

  • PHOTOS (4): Leaves of an American holly clump together as the speed of the wind (blowing from left to right) increases.

    Academic text (1993)

  • The bright red berries of American holly make it a popular choice for Christmas decorations.

  • In winter, the American holly stands out with its glossy leaves and vibrant red berries.

  • Gardeners love planting American holly for its attractive foliage and its ability to provide shelter for birds.

Synonyms

holly
vsAmerican holly
15 2.0

A tree or bush with shiny green prickly leaves and red berries

is the specific eastern species rather than the whole genus
Christmas holly
vsAmerican holly
  • US
2.7

An evergreen plant with spiny leaves and red berries used to decorate homes at Christmas

is noted for being native to eastern parts of the continent rather than only decorative

Surface Forms

American holly singular
American hollies plural

Morphology

American + holly

The noun phrase is a straightforward adjective + noun composition: 'American' specifies origin/variety and 'holly' names the evergreen plant, so the combined meaning is simply a holly species associated with America. This compositional pattern is common cross-linguistically and a B1 learner who knows both words can reliably infer the meaning.

Etymology

American holly is named for the kind of holly that grows in America; it has shiny, prickly leaves and bright red berries. Because people used it as a 'Christmas' decoration, the name now means this evergreen tree often used for winter decoration.