heron's bill
- noun
- Specialized
:
pajarito
- Gardeners sometimes plant heron's bill for its delicate, fern-like leaves and pink flowers.
Examples
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The heron's bill blooms beautifully in the spring.
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Some species of heron's bill are considered weeds in certain regions.
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The seeds of the heron's bill are dispersed by the wind, thanks to their unique shape.
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I found a heron's bill in my garden yesterday.
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Gardeners often choose heron's bill for its attractive pink flowers and delicate, fern-like leaves.
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In my backyard, the heron's bill has started to bloom, adding a lovely touch of color.
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Some gardeners appreciate heron's bill for its unique beak-like seeds that attract birds.
Synonyms
A small flowering plant that has lobed leaves and a long beak-like fruit
A group of flowering plants with small delicate flowers called heron's-bills, often in rocky mountain areas
Surface Forms
Morphology
heron's + bill
The constituents 'heron' and 'bill' transparently evoke a beak-like shape, so a learner who knows those words can infer the phrase refers to something shaped like a heron’s beak. However, the specific lexicalized meaning — a small flowering plant named for its beak‑like fruit — is a metaphorical extension and not fully predictable without exposure, so the expression is only partially transparent.
Etymology
Heron's bill comes from the plant's long seed pods that look like a heron's long pointed bill. That's why the name is used for small flowering plants whose seed pods look like a bird's 'beak'.
