king devil
- noun
- US
:
rey diablo
- The bright yellow flowers of king devil are attractive but invasive.
Examples
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The field was overrun with king devil, making it difficult for crops to grow.
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Gardeners are advised to remove king devil as soon as it appears.
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The king devil is notorious for taking over gardens.
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Many homeowners struggle with king devils in their yards.
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The field was overrun with king devil, making it difficult for crops to grow.
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Gardeners are advised to remove king devil as soon as it appears.
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Many homeowners struggle with king devil in their yards.
Surface Forms
Morphology
king + devil
The constituents 'king' (chief, large) and 'devil' (dangerous, troublesome) give a suggestive, figurative meaning—so a learner might infer something formidable or troublesome, which fits the 'weed' sense. However, the specific identification as a European hawkweed and the botanical sense cannot be derived from the words alone, so the meaning is only partially predictable without exposure.
Etymology
King devil may come from gardeners who used the name for a bright yellow wild plant. One popular story says its flower looked like a tiny king's crown and the plant spread like a little devil, taking over gardens, so the name now means 'a troublesome invasive weed'.
