cotton rose
- noun
- UK
:
algodoncillo
- Gardeners often plant cotton rose for its distinctive woolly flowers.
Examples
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The fields were dotted with clusters of cotton rose swaying gently in the breeze.
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She pressed a dried cotton rose flower between the pages of her journal.
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The cotton rose blooms beautifully in the spring.
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Many gardeners love the cotton roses for their unique appearance.
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Gardeners often plant cotton rose for its distinctive woolly flowers.
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She pressed a dried cotton rose flower between the pages of her journal.
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The fields were dotted with clusters of cotton rose swaying gently in the breeze.
Synonyms
A small woolly plant that grows in dry, sandy places
A small plant with soft, woolly leaves that grows in dry, sandy soil
Surface Forms
Morphology
A B1 learner who knows 'cotton' and 'rose' can infer a compound meaning like 'a flower or plant with cotton-like/woolly appearance' because 'cotton' plausibly modifies the floral notion of 'rose'. However, the specific reference to the genus Filago and the fact that it is not a true rose are not predictable from the constituents, so the relation is only partially transparent.
Etymology
The name cotton rose for small woolly plants probably comes from their tiny flower heads that look like bits of cotton, with rose used long ago for a small flower. So the name helps you picture a plant with white, woolly clusters.
