American mistletoe
- noun
- /əˈmɛrɪkən ˈmɪsəlˌtoʊ/
- US
:
muérdago americano
- The branches of the oak were infested with American mistletoe, weakening the tree.
Examples
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She explained that American mistletoe can be harmful to its host plants despite its festive reputation.
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We hung American mistletoe above the door.
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American mistletoe is often hung in doorways during the holiday season.
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The American mistletoe can harm trees.
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American mistletoe is a popular decoration during the Christmas season, often seen hanging in homes.
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Many people enjoy the tradition of kissing under American mistletoe during holiday gatherings.
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The presence of American mistletoe on a tree can indicate that the tree is struggling to thrive.
Synonyms
A small plant that lives on trees and makes them weaker, often used as a Christmas decoration
A North American mistletoe that grows on trees that lose leaves and can weaken them, often hung at Christmas
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly compositional: 'mistletoe' names the plant and 'American' simply specifies its geographic origin, so a learner who knows both words will understand this refers to a variety of mistletoe from the Americas. This adjective+noun pattern is cross-linguistically common and follows standard English morphology, making the phrase transparent to B1 learners.
Etymology
American mistletoe is a plant called mistletoe that grows on and hangs from tree branches, making clumps people often hang in doorways at Christmas. So the name refers both to that 'decoration' and to a plant that can weaken the tree it lives on.
