Mexican poppy

8.6

A plant that lives for one year with prickly stems and bright yellow flowers

noun
/ˈmɛksɪkən ˈpɑpi/

: pavón mexicano

The fields were filled with the bright yellow flowers of the Mexican poppy.

Examples

We spotted a Mexican poppy blooming beside the desert trail.
Gardeners often admire the Mexican poppy in dry climates.
The Mexican poppy blooms in vibrant yellow.
In spring, the Mexican poppy adds color to gardens.
The fields were filled with the bright yellow flowers of the Mexican poppy.
In spring, the Mexican poppy adds color to gardens.
We spotted a Mexican poppy blooming beside the desert trail.

Synonyms

Argemone mexicana

vsMexican poppy

Specialized

9.9

A prickly annual plant with large yellow flowers often called Mexican poppy

is the same plant but named in a different form

prickly poppy

vsMexican poppy

Specialized

9.2

A plant with large yellow or white flowers and sharp stems and seed pods

is one specific annual species with yellow flowers and a limited native range

How Ornamental

ornamental

1 4.8

Mexican poppy

8.6

wildflower

33 2.2

weed

187 1.0

Surface Forms

Mexican poppy singular

Mexican poppies plural

Morphology

Mexican + poppy

The phrase is an adjectival modifier + noun where the meaning is simply a type or variety of poppy associated with Mexico; a B1 learner who knows 'Mexican' (relating to Mexico) and 'poppy' (a flowering plant) can readily infer this. This compositional, referential pattern is common across languages and follows standard English adjective+noun semantics, so the meaning is transparent.

Etymology

Mexican poppy combines Mexican, showing the plant comes from Mexico and nearby areas, and poppy, because its bright, cup-shaped flowers look like small poppies. So the name simply says it is a poppy-like 'flower from Mexico'.