beefsteak plant
- noun
- /ˈbifˌsteɪk plænt/
:
planta beefsteak
- We planted a beefsteak plant in the garden for its striking purple foliage.
Examples
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The beefsteak plant thrives best in partial shade and moist soil.
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The beefsteak plant adds vibrant color to the garden.
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Her salad was garnished with leaves from the beefsteak plant.
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Many gardeners love the beefsteak plant for its unique foliage.
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The beefsteak plant is known for its beautiful purple leaves that can enhance any garden.
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In my herb garden, I have a beefsteak plant that adds a splash of color and attracts butterflies.
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She chose the beefsteak plant for her landscaping because of its ornamental appeal.
Synonyms
A plant with deep red or purple leaves used to decorate gardens and food
An Asian herb with leaves used for cooking and medicine
Surface Forms
Morphology
beefsteak + plant
The noun clearly signals a kind of plant and the element 'beefsteak' invites a metaphorical resemblance (colour, shape or texture), so a learner who knows both words would infer it is a plant named for its beefsteak-like quality. However, the precise botanical sense (an ornamental herb with specific colourful foliage and spikes) is not fully predictable from the constituents alone, making some prior exposure helpful.
Etymology
Beefsteak plant may come from the plant's large red or purple leaves that look like a raw beefsteak. One popular story says people called it this because the leaves reminded them of 'meat', so the name helps you picture its deep red, decorative foliage.
