Skip to main content
big-cone Douglas fir

big-cone Douglas fir

7.2
A tree from California with very large cones 4 to 8 inches long
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : pino de cono grande
  • The big-cone Douglas fir is easily recognized by the size of its cones.

Examples

  • The big-cone Douglas fir is unique to California.

  • Several big-cone Douglas firs were planted to help with reforestation.

  • Scientists study the big-cone Douglas fir to understand how forests adapt to wildfires.

  • Many big-cone Douglas firs grow in the Sierra Nevada.

  • The big-cone Douglas fir can be found along the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada mountains.

  • Many parks in California feature the big-cone Douglas fir due to its impressive size and beauty.

  • During our hike, we spotted a towering big-cone Douglas fir that stood out among the other trees.

Synonyms

Pseudotsuga macrocarpa
vsbig-cone Douglas fir
  • Specialized
9.9

A fir tree from California with very large cones

is the common English name used in everyday contexts

Surface Forms

Morphology

big-cone + Douglas + fir

The phrase is compositionally transparent: 'big-cone' literally denotes having large cones, 'Douglas' is a species name modifier, and 'fir' is a type of tree, so the meaning 'a Douglas fir with large cones' is directly derivable from the parts. This follows common noun-modifier patterns and would be understandable to a B1 learner who knows the constituent words.

Etymology

Big-cone Douglas fir gets its name from its very large seed cones and from being a kind of Douglas fir. Because big-cone points to the tree's most obvious feature, the name helps people recognize this 'tree' in California.