black bryony
- noun
- UK
:
bryonia negra
- The hedgerow was covered in black bryony with its vivid red berries glistening in the sun.
Examples
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During the hike, we spotted black bryony winding around an old wooden fence.
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Gardeners should be cautious, as black bryony berries are toxic if ingested.
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The black bryony is found in many gardens.
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I love the look of black bryonies in the fall.
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During the hike, we spotted black bryony winding around an old wooden fence.
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The hedgerow was covered in black bryony with its vivid red berries glistening in the sun.
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Gardeners should be cautious, as black bryony berries are toxic if ingested.
Synonyms
A climbing European plant with thick underground roots, heart-shaped leaves and poisonous red berries
Surface Forms
Morphology
This is a straightforward color + noun compound: 'black' modifies the plant name 'bryony', so the meaning (a bryony that is black/dark) is directly derivable from the constituents. Color + species naming is a common, compositional pattern across languages, so a B1 learner who knows both words would understand it.
Etymology
Black bryony gets its name from its dark, almost black underground root and because it looks like another plant called bryony. So the name is a simple image: black for the dark root and bryony for the plant, which helps you remember this climbing plant with bright but poisonous berries.
