bristle grass

8.9

A grass that has curved flower spikes and long stiff hairs under each small flower

noun

: hierba de cerdas

The field was dotted with bristle grass swaying gently in the wind.

Examples

Some species of bristle grass are commonly used as forage for livestock.
The bristle grass swayed gently in the wind.
Researchers studied the distribution of bristle grass in temperate grasslands.
Many animals find shelter in bristle grasses.
The farmer noticed that the bristle grass had grown taller than the other plants in the field.
While hiking in the woods, we saw patches of bristle grass swaying gently in the breeze.
The wildlife biologist identified the bristle grass as a preferred habitat for certain insects.

Synonyms

bristlegrass

vsbristle grass

9.9

A grass with long stiff hairs under its seed spikes, common in fields

is a broader name for similar grasses not limited to a single genus

Surface Forms

bristle grass singular

bristle grasses plural

Morphology

bristle + grass

The compound is transparently descriptive: 'bristle' (stiff hairs) modifies 'grass', so the phrase denotes a grass that has bristles. This modifier+noun composition directly yields the meaning and is a common, cross-linguistic pattern that a B1 learner who knows the constituents can infer.

Etymology

Bristle grass gets its name from the plant's look: the seed heads have long, stiff bristles like a small brush, so the grass is called bristle grass to mean 'a grass with stiff bristles'.