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Glite Dictionary
fen orchis

fen orchis

9.9
A small orchid from Europe and eastern North America with two low leaves and dull yellow-green flowers
  • noun
  • UK
translation icon : orquídea de los pantanos
  • The delicate flowers of the fen orchis are often overlooked due to their muted color.

Examples

  • The fen orchis thrives in wet, marshy meadows during the late spring.

  • Botanists discovered a rare fen orchis while surveying the European wetlands.

  • The fen orchis blooms in the spring.

  • Have you seen any fen orchids this season?

  • The fen orchis is commonly found in the lowland wetlands of North America.

  • During a hike, we spotted a beautiful fen orchis growing near the pond.

  • In the botanical garden, the fen orchis is showcased among other rare plants.

Synonyms

Liparis loeselii
vsfen orchis
  • UK
9.9

A small orchid that grows on the ground with two low leaves and dull yellow-green flowers along a stem

has identical meaning but differs only by name form
fen orchid
vsfen orchis
  • UK
9.9

A small plant that grows in marshes with two low leaves and dull yellow green flowers

grows on dry ground instead of wetland areas

Surface Forms

fen orchis singular
fen orchises plural

Morphology

fen + Orchis

The meaning is directly derivable from combining 'fen' (a marshy habitat) with 'Orchis' (an orchid), i.e. an orchid that grows in fens. This habitat+plant compound follows regular noun-noun composition found across languages, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents would readily infer the MWE's meaning.

Etymology

Fen orchis comes from the plant's home and its family name: fen means a 'marsh' or wet place, and orchis is an old word for an 'orchid'. So the name simply means an orchid that lives in marshes.