Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
gray willow

gray willow

7.6
A small bushy tree with whitish woolly twigs that grows in wet places
  • noun
  • /ɡreɪ ˈwɪloʊ/
  • US
translation icon : sauce gris
  • The twigs of the gray willow have a distinctive whitish, woolly appearance.

Examples

  • The gray willow thrives near the riverbank.

  • We saw a gray willow during our hike.

  • Gardeners often choose the gray willow for wetland restoration projects.

  • The gray willow grows abundantly along the riverbanks in eastern Europe.

  • Gardeners often choose the gray willow for wetland restoration projects.

  • The gray willow grows abundantly along the riverbanks in eastern Europe.

  • The twigs of the gray willow have a distinctive whitish, woolly appearance.

Synonyms

Salix cinerea
vsgray willow
  • Specialized
9.9

A small grey willow bush with soft hairy twigs that grows beside rivers

is found in damp habitats more generally rather than only riverbanks

Surface Forms

gray willow singular
gray willows plural

Morphology

gray + willow

The meaning 'a willow with a gray or whitish appearance' is directly and transparently derived from combining the adjective 'gray' with the noun 'willow' following a common color + noun subtype pattern. This composition is cross-linguistically common, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents would readily infer it refers to a type of willow with grayish twigs or foliage even if they don't know the specific species name.

Etymology

Gray willow gets its name from the plant's pale, woolly twigs: gray describes the whitish look and willow names the tree. That's why gray willow means a low 'willow' with pale twigs that often grows in damp places.