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Glite Dictionary
golden thistle

golden thistle

9.9
A spiny Mediterranean plant with bright yellow flower heads
  • noun
  • UK
translation icon : cardo dorado
  • The golden thistle is admired for its striking yellow blooms in Mediterranean gardens.

Examples

  • Farmers often remove golden thistle from their fields to protect their crops.

  • She pressed a dried golden thistle into her botanical journal as a keepsake.

  • The golden thistle blooms beautifully in the summer.

  • Many gardeners love the golden thistle for its vibrant color.

  • Farmers often remove golden thistle from their fields to protect their crops.

  • The golden thistle is admired for its striking yellow blooms in Mediterranean gardens.

  • Many gardeners love the golden thistle for its vibrant color.

Synonyms

Scolymus
vsgolden thistle
  • Specialized
9.9

A small plant like a thistle with spiny leaves and yellow flowers that grows in the Mediterranean

is the common name for the species in that scientific genus

Surface Forms

golden thistle singular
golden thistles plural

Morphology

golden + thistle

This is a simple adjectival noun phrase where 'golden' describes the color of the 'thistle', so the meaning — a thistle that is golden/yellow — is directly derivable from the constituents. Although the technical botanical reference (genus Scolymus) is specialized, the overall referent is compositional and cross-linguistically obvious, so a B1 learner who knows both words will understand it.

Etymology

Golden thistle names a spiky plant from the Mediterranean with bright yellow flower heads. The word thistle points to the plant's sharp leaves and stems and golden points to the 'yellow' color, so the name helps you picture the 'yellow, spiky' herb found in fields and gardens.