goosefoot maple
- noun
- US
:
arce de cuello de ganso
- We spotted a goosefoot maple along the hiking trail, easily recognizable by its striped bark.
Examples
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The goosefoot maple is especially beautiful when its leaves turn yellow each autumn.
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Botanists often study the distinct leaf shape of the goosefoot maple in eastern forests.
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The goosefoot maple is a beautiful tree.
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I planted a goosefoot maple in my garden.
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We spotted a goosefoot maple along the hiking trail, easily recognizable by its striped bark.
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The goosefoot maple is especially beautiful when its leaves turn yellow each autumn.
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Botanists often study the distinct leaf shape of the goosefoot maple in eastern forests.
Synonyms
A small tree from eastern North America with striped green bark and large leaves that turn yellow in autumn
A small maple tree from eastern North America with striped bark and two-part leaves that turn yellow in autumn
A maple tree with green and white striped bark and large leaves with two parts that turn yellow
A small maple tree with green-and-white striped bark and yellow autumn leaves
Surface Forms
Morphology
goosefoot + maple
The compound is a straightforward noun–noun description: 'goosefoot' indicates a shape like a goose's foot and 'maple' names the tree, so the overall meaning ('a maple with leaves/shape like a goose's foot') is directly derivable from the parts. This kind of shape-based naming and modifier+head compound is cross-linguistically common, so a B1 learner who knows the constituent words can infer the meaning despite the term's rarity.
Etymology
Goosefoot maple comes from the tree's leaves that look like a 'goose's foot'. The name goosefoot points to that leaf shape and maple shows the kind of tree, so the name helps you recognise this maple with foot-shaped leaves.
