hairy finger grass

9.6

A grass from Europe grown for hay and often a weed in fields

noun

: hierba de dedo peluda

Hairy finger grass can quickly spread in pastures, making it a common weed in some U.S. states.

Examples

Farmers often harvest hairy finger grass to use as feed for livestock.
The botanist identified the unfamiliar plant as hairy finger grass during her field survey.
The hairy finger grass grows abundantly in the fields.
Many farmers cultivate hairy finger grass for hay production.
Hairy finger grass is often used in hay production due to its rapid growth.
You can find hairy finger grass growing wild in many fields across Europe.
In some regions, hairy finger grass has become a persistent weed that farmers must manage.

Synonyms

Digitaria sanguinalis

vshairy finger grass

Specialized

9.9

A grass that often grows as a weed in lawns and fields and sometimes is used for animal feed

is the common nontechnical name for the same species

large crabgrass

vshairy finger grass

7.2

A grass used for hay that grows fast and often becomes a weed

is the general common name for that same species

Surface Forms

hairy finger grass singular

hairy finger grasses plural

Morphology

hairy + finger + grass

The phrase is a descriptive compound: 'hairy' + 'finger' + 'grass' transparently denotes a type of grass characterized by hairy, finger-like parts (inflorescences or blades). This follows ordinary noun-compounding patterns found cross-linguistically, so a B1 learner who knows the constituents can infer it is a species of grass even if they do not know the precise botanical identity.

Etymology

The name hairy finger grass comes from the plant's long, thin seed heads that look like a finger with soft bristles, so the words hairy, finger, and grass simply describe the plant you see.