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Glite Dictionary
air plant

air plant

4.9
A plant that needs no soil, takes water and food from air and rain, lives on other plants without harm
  • noun
  • /ɛr plænt/
  • Specialized
translation icon : planta aérea
  • An air plant can thrive without soil, which makes it an interesting decorative choice.
  • air plants, called epiphytes

Examples

  • I'm going to put my air plant in and it looks so pretty.

  • This is called an air plant where it doesn't need soil to grow.

  • And then for air plants, we have a Capitata Peach.

  • The air plant absorbs moisture directly from the air, making it unique among houseplants.

  • Many gardeners appreciate air plants for their beauty and the ease of care they require.

Synonyms

epiphyte
vsair plant
  • Specialized
4 9.9

A plant that grows on another plant without harming it and gets water from air and rain

is the common everyday name for that same growth habit on other plants
epiphytic plant
vsair plant
  • Specialized
8.2

A plant that lives on another plant without hurting it and gets water from air and rain

is the general informal label for the same support and feeding habit
aerophyte
vsair plant
  • Specialized
9.9

A plant like an orchid that grows on another plant and takes water and nutrients from air and rain

is a broader everyday term for plants that feed from air instead of soil

Surface Forms

air plant singular
air plants plural

Morphology

air + plant

The noun compound 'air plant' is directly and compositionally built from 'air' + 'plant' — it denotes a plant associated with or nourished by the air. Although the term is somewhat botanical, the relation is literal and cross-linguistically transparent, so a B1 learner who knows both words can readily infer the meaning.

Etymology

The noun air plant is named for how it lives: the word air shows that the plant takes water and food from the air and rain instead of from soil. That's why air plant means 'a plant that grows without soil, often on another plant'.