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Glite Dictionary
creeping willow

creeping willow

6.8
A small shrub with long low branches and soft green leaves that spreads across ground and is used in gardens
  • noun
  • /ˈkripɪŋ ˈwɪloʊ/
  • UK
translation icon : sauce rastrero
  • Several varieties of creeping willow are popular in landscape design for their ornamental foliage.

Examples

  • The creeping willow thrives in wet soil.

  • The creeping willow thrives in moist soils and makes an attractive ground cover.

  • Gardeners often choose the creeping willow for its graceful, spreading branches.

  • I planted a creeping willow in my garden.

  • The garden was beautifully enhanced by the creeping willow, which draped elegantly over the edge of the pond.

  • In the old park, the creeping willow provided a soft backdrop to the colorful flower beds.

  • Many homeowners choose to plant creeping willows in their yards for their graceful appearance and low maintenance needs.

Synonyms

willow
vscreeping willow
36 1.8

A tree with long thin branches and narrow leaves that often grows near water

is a specific small trailing shrub rather than the general group
Salix repens
vscreeping willow
  • Specialized
9.9

A small low-growing bush with soft green leaves that spreads over the ground

is the common name used for the same plant

How Tall

willow tree
4 1.4
shrub
44 1.0
creeping willow
  • UK
6.8
dwarf willow
  • Specialized
7.3

Surface Forms

creeping willow singular
creeping willows plural

Morphology

creep + willow

The compound 'creeping willow' is a transparent adjective+noun formation meaning literally 'a willow that creeps or trails/spreads', so a B1 learner who knows 'creep' (to spread slowly) and 'willow' can infer it denotes a willow with low, trailing growth. This descriptive botanical pattern is common in English (and parallels exist in many languages), making the meaning directly derivable from the constituents.

Etymology

Creeping willow gets its name from the tree's long, thin branches that seem to creep along the ground, and willow names the tree. So this picture explains why the name means a low, spreading willow often used as 'ground cover'.