bear's breeches
- noun
- /ˈbɛrz ˈbrɪtʃɪz/
:
acanto
- We planted bear's breeches along the path for their striking flower spikes.
Examples
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The leaves of bear's breeches inspired many classical architectural designs.
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In early summer, bear's breeches produces tall, dramatic blooms that attract bees.
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Look at those beautiful bear's breeches!
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The garden was filled with stunning bear's breeches this spring.
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In early summer, bear's breeches produces tall, dramatic blooms that attract bees.
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We planted bear's breeches along the path for their striking flower spikes.
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The leaves of bear's breeches inspired many classical architectural designs.
Synonyms
A garden plant with large leaves with deep cuts and tall pale flower spikes
A garden plant with large shiny leaves and tall white flowers with purple lines
How Ornamental
Surface Forms
Morphology
bear's + breeches
The phrase pairs 'bear's' (possessive of the animal) with 'breeches' (trousers), which yields no obvious connection to a plant species; the botanical referent Acanthus mollis is a conventional plant name rather than a compositional meaning. As a conventionalized, historically rooted name that uses an archaic clothing term, a B1 learner who knows the constituent words would not predict it refers to an ornamental perennial, so the expression is opaque.
Etymology
Bear's breeches is a garden plant with big, divided leaves. One popular story says the leaves look like the wide breeches or pants a bear might wear, so the name came to mean this showy plant with tall flower spikes.