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Glite Dictionary
Iris kaempferi

Iris kaempferi

8.7
A garden plant from Japan with large, showy flowers
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : iris kaempferi
  • The garden features a collection of Iris kaempferi, adding vibrant color in early summer.

Examples

  • Many flower enthusiasts prize Iris kaempferi for its elegant and dramatic blossoms.

  • Botanists are studying the hybridization of Iris kaempferi with other iris species.

  • The Iris kaempferi blooms beautifully in spring.

  • Have you seen the Iris kaempferi in the garden?

  • Many flower enthusiasts prize Iris kaempferi for its elegant and dramatic blossoms.

  • The garden features a collection of Iris kaempferi, adding vibrant color in early summer.

  • Botanists are studying the hybridization of Iris kaempferi with other iris species.

Synonyms

Japanese iris
vsIris kaempferi
5.1

A tall plant with large colorful flowers, usually purple or white, that grows near water

highlights the same species but adds garden cultivation focus

Surface Forms

Iris kaempferi singular
Iris kaempferis plural

Morphology

iris + kaempferi

The head noun 'Iris' clearly signals a flower, so a learner who knows 'iris' can infer this refers to a particular type of iris; however 'kaempferi' is a Latinized specific epithet (a proper name) with no transparent lexical meaning for a B1 learner. Because the category is predictable from the constituents but the identifying epithet is opaque, the overall phrase is only partially predictable.

Etymology

Iris kaempferi gets its first word from Iris, a Greek word for the 'rainbow' because the flowers are bright and colorful. The second part, kaempferi, is named after a German traveler who brought this iris from Japan to Europe, so the full name points to a colorful iris linked to that traveler.