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Glite Dictionary
false pimpernel

false pimpernel

9.9
A small plant like a weed with short dry leaves that looks like a pimpernel
  • noun
  • UK
translation icon : pimpernel falso
  • The false pimpernel thrives in dry, sandy soils where few other plants can grow.

Examples

  • Gardeners sometimes confuse false pimpernel with the true pimpernel due to their similar appearance.

  • We found a patch of false pimpernel growing beside the old stone wall.

  • The false pimpernel thrives in dry, rocky soil.

  • Have you seen a false pimpernel in the garden?

  • Gardeners sometimes confuse false pimpernel with true pimpernel because they look alike.

  • The false pimpernel grows well in dry, sandy soils where few other plants thrive.

  • We discovered a patch of false pimpernel flourishing beside the old stone wall.

Synonyms

chaffweed
vsfalse pimpernel
9.9

A small weed with short dry leaves that often grows in wet places

does not state a typical habitat and lacks a moisture preference
bastard pimpernel
vsfalse pimpernel
  • Specialized
9.9

A small weed with short dry leaves that grows in dry, disturbed soil

does not limit occurrence to dry or disturbed soils

Surface Forms

false pimpernel singular
false pimpernels plural

Morphology

false + pimpernel

The adjective 'false' (not genuine/imitation) combined with a noun yields a directly compositional meaning: a plant resembling a pimpernel but not a true one. This is a regular, predictable modifier+noun pattern found cross-linguistically, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents would understand the intended sense.

Etymology

False pimpernel gets its name from the plant's look: it has small flowers that pimpernel also has, but it is a different, common weed. So the word 'false' tells gardeners it is 'not a true pimpernel' and only looks like one.