acerate
- adjective
- /ˈæsəˌreɪt/
- Specialized
:
acerado
- The pine tree's acerate leaves allow it to reduce water loss in dry environments.
Examples
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Some desert plants have acerate foliage that helps them survive harsh conditions.
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Botanists use the term acerate to describe narrow, pointed features in certain plant species.
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The acerate leaves of the plant give it a unique appearance.
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Can you identify the acerate shape of those leaves?
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Some desert plants have acerate foliage that helps them survive harsh conditions.
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The pine tree's acerate leaves allow it to reduce water loss in dry environments.
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Botanists use the term acerate to describe narrow, pointed features in certain plant species.
Synonyms
Long, very thin, and pointed like a needle
A long narrow pointed leaf like a needle on pine trees
Long, thin, and pointed like a sewing pin
Antonyms
Compounds
How Narrow
Surface Forms
Morphology
acerate = acer + ate
Formed from the combining form 'acer-' (sharp) plus the adjectival suffix '-ate', but 'acer' is not a productive standalone English word so learners cannot transparently derive 'needle-shaped' from known English base words.
Etymology
Acerate comes from the Latin root acer, which means 'sharp' and is the same root you see in acute, so think of something sharp like a needle. So acerate means 'needle-shaped', very narrow and pointed, which is why botanists use it for certain leaves.