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Glite Dictionary
Carduus nutans

Carduus nutans

9.9
A spiny plant from Europe and Asia with drooping red-purple flower heads that grows wild in fields
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : Carduus nutans
  • You can identify Carduus nutans by its nodding crimson flower heads and spiny leaves.

Examples

  • The field was filled with Carduus nutans in full bloom, attracting bees and butterflies.

  • Gardeners in North America sometimes try to control Carduus nutans because it spreads quickly in pastures.

  • The Carduus nutans is often found in fields.

  • Have you seen a Carduus nutans in bloom?

  • The field was filled with Carduus nutans in full bloom, attracting bees and butterflies.

  • You can identify Carduus nutans by its nodding crimson flower heads and spiny leaves.

  • Gardeners in North America sometimes try to control Carduus nutans because it spreads quickly in pastures.

Synonyms

thistle
vsCarduus nutans
15 5.6

A wild plant with prickly leaves and purple flowers

is a single specific Eurasian species with drooping crimson musky heads
musk thistle
vsCarduus nutans
  • UK
8.8

A spiny plant with red nodding flowers that have a strong smell and give nectar to bees

focuses on botanical identity and range rather than its value for nectar
nodding thistle
vsCarduus nutans
  • UK
9.3

A spiny plant with soft white leaves and drooping red flower heads

is noted also for a musky scent and being naturalized in eastern North America

How Prickly

gorse
  • UK
1 9.1
Carduus nutans
  • Specialized
9.9
thistle
15 5.6

Surface Forms

Carduus nutans singular
Carduus nutans plural

Morphology

Carduus + nutans

This is a Latin binomial scientific name rather than a compositional English phrase: one constituent ('nutans') is not a recognisable English word and the overall label functions as a proper noun. The meaning 'nodding thistle' is not transparently derivable by a B1 learner from the parts, so the expression is effectively idiomatic/opaque for typical learners.

Etymology

Carduus nutans comes from two Latin words: Carduus meaning 'thistle' and nutans meaning 'nodding'. The name paints the picture of the plant's drooping flower heads, so today it is simply the name for the 'nodding thistle'.