annual lek
- noun
- /ˈæn.ju.əl lɛk/
- Specialized
:
lek anual
- Male grouse display their feathers at the annual lek to impress potential mates.
Examples
-
The annual lek attracts birdwatchers from around the world each spring.
-
Scientists study the annual lek to better understand avian mating behaviors.
-
The annual lek attracts many birdwatchers.
-
During the annual lek, males display their feathers.
-
Male grouse display their feathers at the annual lek to impress potential mates.
-
The annual lek attracts birdwatchers from around the world each spring.
-
Scientists study the annual lek to better understand avian mating behaviors.
How Often
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly and transparently derived from combining 'annual' (yearly) with 'lek' (a communal mating display site): it denotes a lek that occurs once each year. A B1 learner who knows both constituent words can infer this sense because the phrase is a straightforward adjectival modification, so the composition is predictable even though 'lek' is a specialized term.
Etymology
Annual lek comes from lek, an old northern word that meant 'play', and annual means once a year. Imagine a small open stage where male birds gather each spring to dance and show off to attract mates — that's why annual lek means a yearly gathering for mating.