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Glite Dictionary
laurel family

laurel family

7.0
A family of flowering plants that includes trees like laurel, avocado, and cinnamon
  • noun
  • /ˈlɔːrəl ˈfæmɪli/
  • Specialized
translation icon : familia del laurel
  • Avocados are members of the laurel family, along with bay laurel and sassafras.

Examples

  • Many aromatic trees, such as cinnamon and camphor, belong to the laurel family.

  • The laurel family is known for its broad, evergreen leaves and economic value.

  • The laurel family consists of many aromatic plants.

  • Many spices come from the laurel family.

  • Avocados are members of the laurel family, along with bay laurel and sassafras.

  • Many aromatic trees, such as cinnamon and camphor, belong to the laurel family.

  • The laurel family is known for its broad, evergreen leaves and economic value.

Synonyms

family Lauraceae
vslaurel family
  • Specialized
8.4

A group of mostly tropical trees and shrubs like laurels, cinnamon, and avocado trees

is the common name form focusing on included species rather than climate
Lauraceae
vslaurel family
  • Specialized
9.9

A large family of flowering trees and shrubs including bay trees and avocado

is the familiar label highlighting specific examples like avocado and cinnamon

Surface Forms

laurel family singular
laurel families plural

Morphology

laurel + family

The phrase combines a known plant name 'laurel' with the common noun 'family' in the taxonomic/grouping sense, so a learner who knows both constituents can infer it refers to the plant family that includes laurel and related species. This noun+noun composition follows a regular, cross-linguistic pattern for naming biological groups and is therefore directly interpretable by B1 learners who know the component meanings.

Etymology

Laurel family comes from the old laurel tree, because people used that familiar plant to name a group of similar plants. In the study of plants, a 'family' means a group of related kinds, so laurel family now refers to the group of flowering plants that includes avocado, cinnamon and bay laurel.