European ladies' tresses
- noun
- UK
:
trenzas de dama europeas
- The meadow was filled with European ladies' tresses blooming among the tall grasses.
Examples
-
He photographed several rare European ladies' tresses during his walk in the nature reserve.
-
Botanists are working to protect habitats where European ladies' tresses still thrive.
-
Look at that European ladies' tresses!
-
What a lovely European ladies' tresses!
-
The meadow was filled with European ladies' tresses blooming among the tall grasses.
-
Botanists are working to protect habitats where European ladies' tresses still thrive.
-
He photographed several rare European ladies' tresses during his walk in the nature reserve.
Synonyms
A small European wild orchid with white flowers that grow in a spiral
A small orchid with slender twisted spikes of white flowers
A small orchid with twisted spikes of white flowers
Surface Forms
Morphology
European + ladies' + tresses
This is a conventional botanical name: the literal constituents 'ladies'' and 'tresses' evoke women's hair (braids), not a flower, so a B1 learner who knows the words would likely interpret it as 'women's braids' rather than an orchid. The plant meaning is a lexicalized, metaphorical name that requires prior exposure or specific botanical knowledge, so the overall meaning is not derivable from the parts.
Etymology
European ladies' tresses gets its name from the tiny white flowers that twist tightly around the stem like a woman's braided hair. A tress is a 'lock of hair', so the braid image explains the plant's name today.
