dead nettle
- noun
- /dɛd ˈnɛtəl/
:
ortiga muerta
- Botanists studied the distinctive flowers of the dead nettle for pollination research.
Examples
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Unlike true nettles, dead nettle does not sting when touched.
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The dead nettle bloomed beautifully in the garden.
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The garden was overrun with dead nettle growing between the flower beds.
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I planted dead nettles along the pathway.
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In my garden, the dead nettle adds a splash of color with its vibrant purple flowers.
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Many landscapers choose dead nettle for ground cover because it thrives in shady areas.
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If you're looking for a weed that won't sting, consider planting dead nettle in your flower beds.
Synonyms
A European plant from the mint family with white flowers that looks like stinging nettles but does not sting
A European plant in the mint family with white flowers like nettles but without stinging hairs
How Stinging
1
4.6
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase names a kind of nettle, so a learner who knows 'dead' and 'nettle' can infer it refers to a particular type of nettle rather than an unrelated idiom. However, the specific sense (a non-stinging plant that merely resembles true nettles and not literally dead) is not fully predictable from the constituents, so full comprehension without exposure is uncertain.
Etymology
Dead nettle The plant name dead nettle comes from its look: it looks like a nettle but has no stinging hairs. People used the word dead to mean 'not stinging', so the name points to a nettle that will 'not sting'.