holly fern
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- noun
- /ˈhɑli fɜrn/
- Specialized
- Many gardeners appreciate how the holly fern retains its lush green color throughout the winter.
Examples
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With its glossy, spiny-edged fronds, the holly fern resembles traditional holly leaves.
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Cyrtomium falcatum (holly fern) --
Blog text (15) -
The holly fern grows well in shady areas and adds a vibrant touch to garden landscapes.
Synonyms
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A North American fern that stays green in winter and has long divided leaves
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A group of small to medium ferns with evergreen, divided leaves called holly ferns
A fern with shiny, sharp-pointed leaves like holly that grows in shady, moist places
A tropical fern with shiny leaves like holly that grows in damp, shaded woods and gardens
A fern that grows on rocks in western North America
A North American plant with thick, shiny, sharp-edged leaves that grows in mountains
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning (a fern that has holly-like, spiny glossy leaves) is directly and transparently derived from combining 'holly' and 'fern' — i.e., a fern resembling holly. This noun–noun compounding is a common, compositional pattern in English and cross-linguistically, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents would readily infer the meaning.
Etymology
The noun holly fern comes from how the plant looks: the shiny, spiky leaves of the fern look like the leaves of holly. So the name shows it is a fern with holly-like leaves, not a real 'holly'.