dyer's mignonette

9.9

A plant with yellow flowers people use to make yellow dye

noun
/ˈdaɪərz ˌmɪn.jəˈnɛt/

: reseda

The stems of dyer's mignonette were traditionally harvested for dye-making.

Examples

Dyer's mignonette has become naturalized in many parts of North America.
Gardeners sometimes grow dyer's mignonette for its historical significance as well as its bright flowers.
The dyer's mignonette is known for its vibrant yellow dye.
Many artisans use dyer's mignonette to create natural dyes.
The stems of dyer's mignonette are harvested to produce yellow dye used in fabric coloring.
Many artisans cultivate dyer's mignonette to create natural dyes for their craft projects.
In North America, dyer's mignonette has become a popular choice for those seeking natural dye sources.

Synonyms

weld

vsdyer's mignonette

Archaic

37 9.9

A small European plant used to make yellow dye

is the botanical name or a modern common name instead of this traditional label

Reseda luteola

vsdyer's mignonette

Specialized

9.9

A European plant used to make yellow dye, also called weld

is the common name rather than the scientific Latin name

dyer's rocket

vsdyer's mignonette

9.9

A plant people grow to dye cloth yellow

is a specific traditional common name rather than that alternative label

dyer's weed

vsdyer's mignonette

Specialized

9.9

A plant from eastern North America with yellow flowers used to make yellow dye

is a European species cultivated there and later naturalized in North America

Surface Forms

dyer's mignonette singular

dyer's mignonettes plural

Morphology

dyer's + mignonette

If a B1 learner knows 'dyer' (a person who makes or applies dyes) and 'mignonette' (a plant), they can compose the meaning as 'the mignonette associated with dyers' — i.e. a plant used for dyeing. The possessive noun construction is regular and compositional in English, so the phrase's meaning is derivable from its parts.

Etymology

Dyer's mignonette gets its name from the people who dyed cloth: dyers used the small plant called mignonette to make a bright 'yellow dye'. That's why the name refers to a plant grown for dyeing and why it later came to grow in parts of North America.