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Glite Dictionary
Pinus contorta

Pinus contorta

8.8
A pine tree from the northwest coast of North America with needles in pairs and reddish scaly bark
  • noun
  • /ˈpaɪnəs kənˈtɔːrtə/
  • Specialized
translation icon : pino contorta
  • The reddish bark of the Pinus contorta easily distinguishes it from other local pine trees.

Examples

  • The twisted branches of the Pinus contorta made the forest appear wild and ancient.

  • In coastal regions, Pinus contorta is an important species for stabilizing sandy soils.

  • The Pinus contorta thrives in sandy soils.

  • Many Pinus contortas can be found along the coast.

  • In coastal regions, Pinus contorta is an important species for stabilizing sandy soils.

  • The reddish bark of the Pinus contorta easily distinguishes it from other local pine trees.

  • The twisted branches of the Pinus contorta made the forest appear wild and ancient.

Synonyms

lodgepole
vsPinus contorta
  • Specialized
3 9.9

A pine tree with two needles in each cluster that grows in western North America

is the scientific name preferred in formal contexts
shore pine
vsPinus contorta
  • Specialized
8.4

A small pine tree that grows near the sea with twisted branches and can live in salty air

is the scientific name rather than a regional common name
spruce pine
vsPinus contorta
  • Specialized
8.8

A small shrubby evergreen with two needles per group and scaly square bark

is the scientific name, not the informal common label

Surface Forms

Pinus contorta singular
Pinus contortas plural

Morphology

Pinus + contorta

This is a scientific Latin binomial: 'Pinus' signals a pine genus but 'contorta' is not an English lexical item a B1 learner would know and does not transparently convey the species' characteristics. The meaning is a referential species name rather than a compositional English phrase, so learners cannot derive the specific sense from the parts.

Etymology

Pinus contorta comes from Latin words: pinus meaning 'pine' and contorta meaning 'twisted'. The tree often has twisted branches and needles, so the name points to that and helps you remember this tree.