cry-baby tree
- noun
- You can spot a cry-baby tree by its solitary clusters of deep crimson flowers.
Examples
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The cry-baby tree is prized for its beautiful scarlet flowers in many South American gardens.
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Botanists have studied the cry-baby tree for its unique spiny branches and striking blooms.
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The cry-baby tree blooms beautifully in spring.
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Many cry-baby trees can be found in Brazil.
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The cry-baby tree is known for its clusters of vibrant scarlet flowers, making it a favorite in local gardens.
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In the Amazon rainforest, the cry-baby tree stands out with its dark crimson blooms and thorny branches.
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Gardeners often choose the cry-baby tree for its unique appearance and vibrant flowers that attract pollinators.
Synonyms
1
9.9
A small spiny tree from South America with dark red flowers that grow alone or in small groups
A small spiny tree from South America with bright red flowers
A small thorny South American tree with bright red flowers
A small tree from South America with spiny branches and bright red flowers grown for decoration
Surface Forms
Morphology
cry-baby + tree
Knowing the constituents 'cry-baby' (a colloquial term for someone who cries easily) and 'tree' does not allow a B1 learner to derive the specific botanical meaning or attributes (small, spiny, South American, dark crimson flowers). The compound is a conventional plant name whose link to the literal constituents is arbitrary or metaphorical and not transparently compositional, so its meaning is not predictable from the parts.
Etymology
Cry-baby tree may come from people seeing its bright red flowers hanging like little faces with tears. This image links cry-baby, meaning a little one crying, to the tree, so the name now means 'a small tree with deep red or scarlet flowers'.