grass family
1
3.8
- noun
- /ɡræs ˈfæmɪli/
- Specialized
- Another concern: Allergy sufferers living in or near areas where corn is being harvested may be experiencing more allergies right now because corn is a member of the grass family, and grass allergies are common, according to Leija.
Examples
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Bamboo, a member of the grass family, is a major raw material in the Far East.
Academic text (1992) -
Bamboo is a versatile plant that belongs to the grass family.
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2. Never underestimate the strength of this member of the grass family!
Blog text (14) -
Our favorite member of the grass family, bamboo!
Blog text (14) -
Corn, which is widely grown, is an important member of the grass family.
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The grass family includes many plants such as wheat, rice, and barley.
Synonyms
1
9.9
A group of grass plants that includes wheat, rice, and bamboo
1
9.9
A large family of grass plants like wheat and bamboo
A family of grass plants that includes wheat, rice, bamboo, and reeds
A large group of grass plants like wheat, rice, and bamboo
A large group of grass plants like wheat, rice, and bamboo
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly compositional: a B1 learner who knows 'grass' (plants) and 'family' (a grouping of related species) will readily infer 'grass family' as the taxonomic group of grasses. This follows a common noun + classifier pattern that is cross-linguistically transparent and requires no idiomatic or metaphorical knowledge.
Etymology
Grass family uses family to mean a 'group' of related plants and grass to show the main type. So it means the large group of plants related to grasses, like rice, wheat, bamboo and sugar cane.