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Glite Dictionary
Venus's flower basket

Venus's flower basket

9.9
A deep-water sponge with a delicate, glassy, net-like structure from East Asian waters
  • noun
translation icon : canasta de flores de Venus
  • The Venus's flower basket is admired for its delicate, glass-like skeleton.

Examples

  • Scientists study the structure of the Venus's flower basket to inspire new engineering designs.

  • Collectors often display the Venus's flower basket as a natural piece of art.

  • The Venus's flower basket is a unique marine sponge.

  • Have you ever seen a Venus's flower basket in person?

  • The Venus's flower basket is known for its intricate, glassy latticework that resembles a beautiful sculpture.

  • Many divers are thrilled to encounter the Venus's flower basket while exploring coral reefs in eastern Asia.

  • Due to its stunning appearance, the Venus's flower basket is often sought after by collectors of marine art.

Synonyms

Euplectella
vsVenus's flower basket
  • Specialized
9.9

A sea sponge with a fine net-like glass skeleton

is a specific marine example found in the East Indies and eastern Asia
glass sponge
vsVenus's flower basket
  • Specialized
8.8

A sea animal with a skeleton of thin glass-like threads that lives on the ocean floor

is a specific deep-water example with a cylindrical lattice skeleton and known region
hexactinellid
vsVenus's flower basket
  • Specialized
9.9

A deep-sea sponge with a skeleton made of glass

is a named deep-water example with a cylindrical lattice skeleton and regional habitat
Hyalospongiae
vsVenus's flower basket
  • Specialized
9.9

A group of sea sponges with skeletons of tiny six-pointed glass rods and special cells in finger-like chambers

is one specific marine example rather than the whole class with technical features

Surface Forms

Venus's flower basket singular
Venus's flower baskets plural

Morphology

Venus's + flower + basket

This is a conventional common name for a specific deep-water sponge rather than a literal basket of flowers; a B1 learner who knows 'Venus', 'flower' and 'basket' would most likely interpret it literally (a floral basket associated with Venus). The specialized biological referent (a marine sponge) is not predictable from the constituents, so the overall meaning is not derivable from the parts.

Etymology

Venus's flower basket gets its name from how the sponge looks: its thin, glass threads make a tiny woven basket that seems to hold a delicate flower, and the name Venus adds the idea of beauty. So the name refers to this deep-water 'sea sponge' with a glass-like skeleton that people admire as a natural piece of art.