beef plant
- noun
- UK
:
planta de carne
- Many gardeners grow the beef plant for its colorful leaves and striking appearance.
Examples
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The beef plant thrives in well-drained soil and full sunlight.
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She added a beef plant to her collection of exotic ornamental foliage.
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The beef plant is known for its vibrant colors.
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Many gardeners love the beef plant for its unique appearance.
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Many gardeners grow the beef plant for its colorful leaves and striking appearance.
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She added a beef plant to her collection of exotic ornamental foliage.
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The beef plant thrives in well-drained soil and full sunlight.
Synonyms
A South American plant grown for its colorful green, purple, or red leaves and small woolly flowers
A plant from South America with bright red or purple leaves used for decoration
A South American herb with colorful leaves and small woolly flower spikes grown for gardens
Surface Forms
Morphology
beef + plant
The compound 'beef plant' combines 'beef' (meat) and 'plant' but the literal meanings do not transparently yield an ornamental South American species; a B1 learner would not predict that meaning from the constituents alone. Any connection (e.g. color or texture) is obscure and not a standard composition cross-linguistically, so the sense is unpredictable without prior exposure.
Etymology
Beef plant may get its name from the deep red, fleshy look of its leaves; people thought the leaves looked like 'raw beef', so the plant got that nickname. That's why today beef plant refers to a decorative plant known for its red or purple leaves.
