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Rocky-mountain maple

Rocky-mountain maple

7.0
A small maple tree from northwestern North America with shrubby growth and attractive leaves
  • noun
  • Specialized
: arce de las Montañas Rocosas
  • In autumn, the leaves of the Rocky-mountain maple turn brilliant shades of red and orange.

Examples

  • The Rocky-mountain maple is often found growing along streams in the Pacific Northwest.

  • Gardeners appreciate the Rocky-mountain maple for its hardiness and attractive foliage.

  • The Rocky-mountain maple is a beautiful tree.

  • Many gardeners love the Rocky-mountain maple for its unique leaves.

  • In autumn, the leaves of the Rocky-mountain maple turn brilliant shades of red and orange.

  • Gardeners appreciate the Rocky-mountain maple for its hardiness and attractive foliage.

  • The Rocky-mountain maple is often found growing along streams in the Pacific Northwest.

Synonyms

dwarf maple
vsRocky-mountain maple
  • US
1 6.5

A small maple tree with short height and bright autumn leaves

emphasizes shrubby growth form and distinctive leaves rather than height
Acer glabrum
vsRocky-mountain maple
  • Specialized
9.3

A small maple tree that grows in western North America and is called Rocky Mountain maple

is the common name used in everyday language for the same tree

Surface Forms

Morphology

Rocky-mountain + maple

The compound names a species of maple associated with the Rocky Mountains, so a learner who knows 'rocky'/'mountain' (place/terrain) and 'maple' (a tree) can readily infer it denotes a type of maple from that region. This place-based compound is morphologically compositional and follows a transparent naming pattern common across languages, so the meaning is directly derivable from the parts.

Etymology

Rocky-mountain maple gets its name from where it grows and what it is: it grows on rocky mountain slopes and it is a maple. The picture of a small, low maple growing on rocks helps you remember it means 'a small maple tree from that mountain area'.