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Glite Dictionary
cardinal flower

cardinal flower

7.1
A tall North American plant with bright red flowers that grows in wet places
  • noun
  • /ˈkɑrdɪnəl ˈflaʊər/
  • US
translation icon : flor cardinal
  • The cardinal flower blooms in late summer.
  • red cardinal flower

Examples

  • Gardeners often plant cardinal flowers to attract hummingbirds to their yards.

  • The cardinal flower features striking red blossoms that thrive in wetland areas.

  • I stopped along the stream bank to admire a patch of blooming cardinal flower.

  • The cardinal flower brightens the wetland with its striking red blossoms every summer.

  • I saw a beautiful cardinal flower by the river.

  • In my garden, the cardinal flower attracts butterflies with its vibrant red flowers.

  • The bright red blooms of the cardinal flower stand out beautifully against the green foliage.

Synonyms

Lobelia cardinalis
vscardinal flower
  • Specialized
8.1

A tall plant from North America that grows in wet places with bright red flowers that attract hummingbirds

is the common everyday name for the same plant

Surface Forms

cardinal flower singular
cardinal flowers plural

Morphology

cardinal + flower

The meaning 'a red-flowered plant' is directly and transparently derived from combining 'cardinal' (a vivid red color) with 'flower' (the reproductive, colorful part of a plant). This color+noun composition is common cross-linguistically and would allow a B1 learner who knows both words to infer the MWE's basic meaning, even if they do not know the specific species name.

Etymology

Cardinal flower gets its name from its bright red blooms that reminded people of the deep red robes of a church cardinal. So, the name helps you remember it as a very red flower.