Cape primrose
- noun
- South African
:
primavera del Cabo
- The Cape primrose is prized for its vibrant violet blooms and ease of care indoors.
Examples
-
She placed a pot of Cape primrose on her sunny windowsill to brighten the room.
-
Gardeners appreciate Cape primroses for their long-lasting, colorful flowers.
-
Look at that Cape primrose!
-
What a lovely Cape primrose!
-
Gardeners appreciate Cape primroses for their long-lasting, colorful flowers.
-
She placed a pot of Cape primrose on her sunny windowsill to brighten the room.
-
The Cape primrose is prized for its vibrant violet blooms and ease of care indoors.
Synonyms
A small plant with pretty flowers like a primrose often grown indoors
How Showy
- US
- South African
Surface Forms
Morphology
Cape + primrose
The noun is compositionally built from 'Cape' (a place name/region) + 'primrose' (a type of flower), so a learner who knows both words can infer it denotes a primrose from the Cape region. Even if botanical technicalities (it is Streptocarpus rather than a true primrose) are unknown, the general meaning ‘a flower/plant associated with the Cape’ is predictable for a B1 learner.
Etymology
Cape primrose gets its name from where it was found and how its flowers look. The plant was first noticed near the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa and its blooms looked like the garden primrose, so today Cape primrose means these African plants often kept as 'houseplants' for their bright, long-lasting flowers.
