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Glite Dictionary
🌿 A spiny weed 💊 A herbal supplement
Tribulus terrestris

Tribulus terrestris

9.9
A low plant with spreading stems and sharp spiky fruits that poison grazing animals
  • noun
  • /ˈtrɪb.jə.ləs tɛˈrɛs.trɪs/
  • Specialized
translation icon : Tribulus terrestris
  • Farmers often struggle to control Tribulus terrestris because its spiny fruits attach to tires and animal hooves.

Examples

  • Tribulus terrestris can quickly cover large areas, causing problems for grazing livestock.

  • Farmers often struggle with Tribulus terrestris invading their pastures.

  • Some herbal supplements use extracts from Tribulus terrestris for their purported medicinal properties.

  • The Tribulus terrestris plant can cause harm to livestock.

  • Tribulus terrestris is often considered a troublesome weed because its spiny fruits can harm grazing animals.

  • Farmers are concerned about Tribulus terrestris overrunning their fields, as it poses a risk to livestock health.

  • The presence of Tribulus terrestris in pastures can lead to serious injuries for animals due to its sharp spines.

Synonyms

devil's weed
vsTribulus terrestris
  • Australian
1 9.9

A poisonous tropical plant with spreading stems and spiny fruit that can harm farm animals

is specified as an annual pasture weed rather than a general name
caltrop
vsTribulus terrestris
9.9

A low plant with hard spiny seeds that can hurt feet and animals

is identified as a poisonous tropical annual that harms grazing animals

Surface Forms

Tribulus terrestris singular
Tribulus terrestris plural

Morphology

Tribulus + terrestris

This is a scientific Latin binomial (a species name) rather than a regular English compositional phrase; the elements are not productive English words (and 'terrestris' is not a standard English lemma). The overall meaning (a herbal supplement made from that plant) cannot be derived from the constituent parts by a B1 learner without specialized botanical/pharmaceutical knowledge, so it is not transparently compositional.

Etymology

Tribulus terrestris comes from Latin words that paint a clear picture: Tribulus means 'spiky thing' and terrestris means 'on the ground'. That's why the plant is low and spreading with hard, spiny fruits that stick to hooves and tires, so it became known as a troublesome pasture weed.