Scotch fir
- noun
- /skɒtʃ faɪr/
- UK
- She planted a young Scotch fir in her garden last spring.
Examples
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The Scotch fir is a common sight in Scottish forests.
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The timber from the Scotch fir is valued for its strength and durability.
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A towering Scotch fir stood alone at the edge of the field.
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Many Scotch firs grow tall and straight.
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A towering Scotch fir stood alone at the edge of the field.
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She planted a young Scotch fir in her garden last spring.
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The timber from the Scotch fir is valued for its strength and durability.
Synonyms
A medium to large pine tree with two needles per cluster and reddish brown flaky bark
A tall pine tree that has two needles in each bundle and flaky red-brown bark
A pine tree with reddish-brown flaky bark and pairs of needles that grows in northern Europe and Asia
Surface Forms
Morphology
The compound combines the adjective 'Scotch' (pertaining to Scotland) with the noun 'fir' (a type of coniferous tree), so a B1 learner who knows both words will readily infer it means a fir/tree associated with Scotland. This is a straightforward place-adjective + noun composition, a common, compositional pattern cross-linguistically, making the meaning derivable from the parts.
Etymology
Scotch fir gets its name from the tree's link to Scotland: Scotch used to mean 'from Scotland' and fir was a common word for a tall evergreen tree. That's why the name came to mean this particular kind of pine tree found in Scotland and other northern areas.