common ragweed

5.7

A North American weed with many small green flowers that often cause hay fever

noun
/ˈkɑːmən ˈræɡˌwiːd/

: ambrosía común

Many people develop allergies in late summer due to common ragweed.

Examples

Common ragweed often causes severe allergic reactions during the summer months.
We found common ragweed growing along the edge of the field.
Common ragweed spreads easily and can be difficult to eradicate from gardens.
The common ragweed is notorious for causing allergies.
Many people are allergic to common ragweed pollen.
People with pollen allergies should avoid areas where common ragweed is prevalent.
The common ragweed plant can grow up to four feet tall and produces lots of pollen.

Synonyms

ragweed

vscommon ragweed

4 6.1

A tall wild plant that makes many people sneeze from its pollen

is a single North American annual species not the wider genus

Ambrosia artemisiifolia

vscommon ragweed

Specialized

9.9

A North American weed called common ragweed with many thin leaves and green flower spikes that makes pollen causing allergies

is the everyday name used instead of the formal botanical one

Surface Forms

common ragweed singular

common ragweeds plural

Morphology

common + ragweed

The phrase is a straightforward adjective+noun combination where 'common' (frequently occurring) simply modifies 'ragweed' (a plant that causes allergies), so the meaning 'a commonly found ragweed species that causes hay fever' is directly derivable from the parts. This is a standard compositional pattern found across languages and would be clear to a B1 learner who knows both constituents.

Etymology

Common ragweed may come from how the plant looks and grows: people thought its thin, torn leaves looked like rags and it is a weed that grows everywhere, so it was called 'common'. That's why the name reminds us of a widespread plant that often causes allergies.