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Glite Dictionary
black larch

black larch

6.7
A medium-sized North American tree with needles that turn yellow in autumn and rust-brown bark
  • noun
  • /blæk lɑːrtʃ/
  • US
translation icon : larice negro
  • The black larch is known for its distinctive rust-brown bark and soft needles.

Examples

  • Scientists are studying how climate change affects the habitat of the black larch in Alaska.

  • The black larch can grow up to 80 feet tall.

  • During autumn, the needles of the black larch turn a brilliant yellow before they fall.

  • I saw a black larch in the park yesterday.

  • In the forest, the tall black larch stood out with its broad conic crown, making it easy to identify.

  • The black larch thrives in cold climates and is a common sight in northern Canada.

  • Every fall, the black larch captivates visitors as its needles change color to a vibrant yellow.

Synonyms

tamarack
vsblack larch
  • US
1 9.9

A medium-sized tree with short needles that turn yellow in autumn and grows in wet places

means the same tree but uses a different common name
Larix laricina
vsblack larch
  • Specialized
9.9

A medium-sized northern tree like a small pine that turns golden in autumn

means the same tree but uses an English common name
American larch
vsblack larch
  • US
6.4

A medium-sized tree from Canada and northern United States with scaly brown bark and golden-yellow leaves in autumn

means the same tree but uses a different common name

Surface Forms

black larch singular
black larches plural

Morphology

black + larch

This is a straightforward adjective + noun naming: 'black' modifies 'larch', so the meaning ('a larch tree that is black/dark' or a larch species called black larch) is directly derivable from the constituents. The compositional pattern is regular in English (and similar across many languages), so a B1 learner who knows both words will readily understand the MWE.

Etymology

Black larch comes from a simple picture: a larch tree with a darker, rust-brown trunk or bark standing in northern forests. People used black to point out this darker look, so the name now means that particular 'tree'.