chaffweed

9.9

A small weed with short dry leaves that often grows in wet places

noun

: planta de paja

The botanist identified the small plant as chaffweed growing along the pond's edge.

Examples

In wet meadows, you can often spot patches of chaffweed among the grasses.
Many chaffweeds can be found in wetland areas.
She pressed a specimen of chaffweed between the pages of her field journal.
The chaffweed grew abundantly near the river.
In wet meadows, you can often spot patches of chaffweed among the grasses.
The botanist identified the small plant as chaffweed growing along the pond's edge.
Many chaffweeds can be found in wetland areas.

Synonyms

bastard pimpernel

vschaffweed

Specialized

9.9

A small weed with short dry leaves that grows in dry, disturbed soil

prefers moist places rather than dry or disturbed soils

false pimpernel

vschaffweed

9.9

A small plant like a weed with short dry leaves that looks like a pimpernel

is the actual species rather than a lookalike

Surface Forms

chaffweed singular

chaffweeds plural

Morphology

chaffweed = chaff + weed (transparent) = chaff + weed

The compound is a straightforward combination of 'chaff' (describing the dry, husk-like quality) + 'weed', so learners can infer a weed with chaff-like leaves.

Etymology

The word chaffweed comes from chaff ('the dry outer parts of grain') and weed ('a small wild plant'). It was named because this little plant has short, dry leaves that look like bits of chaff, so imagining bits of chaff in a wet meadow helps you remember it.