flame tree
- noun
- /fleɪm tri/
:
árbol de fuego
- The drooping branches of the flame trees made a tunnel.
A moment of rest, perhaps, in the shadow of a flame tree, if in their cool burning they have shadows.
- A moment of rest, perhaps, in the shadow of a flame tree, if in their cool burning they have shadows.
Examples
-
Under flame trees with brilliant orange blossoms, barbers trim hair and clean wax from ears.
Fiction book (2000) -
"Fact is, there are damn few flame trees available at this time of year.
Fiction book (1991) -
A moment of rest, perhaps, in the shadow of a flame tree, if in their cool burning they have shadows.
-
In the flame tree that rose above the gazebo to the left, a bird trilled a long series of notes.
Fiction book (1992) -
It was lined with Chinese flame trees, yellow hibiscus, and bird-of-paradise.
Fiction book (2002) -
The flame tree in the garden is famous for its stunning red flowers each spring.
-
Children played under the spreading branches of the flame tree, enjoying its vibrant blossoms.
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Every summer, the flame tree's bright orange flowers attract many bees and butterflies.
Synonyms
A tree from Australia with many bright red flowers in large clusters
A tropical tree with bright red or orange flowers
A tall Australian tree with bright scarlet flowers
Tropical trees from Africa and India that have bright, showy flowers and are often planted for decoration
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'a tree with bright, showy (flame-like) flowers' is directly compositional from 'flame' (bright, fiery-looking) + 'tree' (a woody plant), so a B1 learner who knows both words can infer the referent. This is a descriptive noun-noun compound following common cross-linguistic naming patterns rather than an idiom, so its meaning is transparent.
Etymology
The name flame tree comes from the bright red or orange flowers that make the tree look like a flame when it blooms. That's why people call trees with very showy, 'fire-like' blossoms a flame tree.
