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Glite Dictionary
Primula elatior

Primula elatior

9.9
A pale yellow primrose with flowers in a row on one side of the stem, called oxlip
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : Primula elatior
  • The woodland clearing was dotted with Primula elatior in full bloom.

Examples

  • Gardeners often plant Primula elatior to add color to shaded borders in spring.

  • The Primula elatior blooms beautifully in spring.

  • Botanists identified the pale yellow flowers as Primula elatior during the field survey.

  • Look at the beautiful Primula elatior!

  • Gardeners often plant Primula elatior to add vibrant color to shaded areas in their gardens.

  • The woodland clearing was filled with clusters of Primula elatior, showcasing their pale yellow blooms.

  • During the spring months, Primula elatior brightens up the forest floor with its delicate flowers.

Synonyms

oxlip
vsPrimula elatior
1 9.9

A wild plant like a primrose with clusters of yellow flowers on one side of the stem

is the scientific species name commonly used instead of the common name

Surface Forms

Primula elatior singular
Primula elatior plural

Morphology

primula + elatior

This is a Latin taxonomic binomial rather than an English compositional phrase: the epithet 'elatior' is not an English word (not found in the dictionary) and the species name 'Primula elatior' denotes a specific plant (oxlip) that is not predictable from the parts. Even if a learner knows 'primula' as a plant genus, the Latin epithet and the convention of species naming make the overall meaning non-compositional and unpredictable for a B1 learner.

Etymology

Primula elatior gets its name from Latin words: primula means 'first' because it blooms early in spring, and elatior means 'taller' because the plant stands a little higher than some other primroses. So the name points to a primrose that flowers early and is a bit taller, which is why gardeners often call it the 'oxlip'.