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Glite Dictionary
mallow family

mallow family

7.7
A family of flowering plants like cotton and okra
  • noun
  • /ˈmæl.oʊ ˈfæm.ə.li/
  • Specialized
translation icon : familia de las malvas
  • Did you know that hibiscus belongs to the mallow family?
  • a member of the mallow family

Examples

  • Cotton, a member of the mallow family, is one of the world's most important crops.

  • Many ornamental plants belong to the mallow family, which is known for its attractive flowers.

  • Okra is an edible plant in the mallow family and is widely used in southern cuisine.

  • The mallow family includes many beautiful flowering plants.

  • The mallow family includes popular plants like hibiscus, okra, and cotton.

  • This member of the mallow family thrives in warm climates and produces vibrant flowers.

  • Many gardeners appreciate how versatile the mallow family is for both food and decoration.

Synonyms

Malvaceae
vsmallow family
  • Specialized
9.9

A group of flowering plants like hibiscus, cotton, and okra

is the common name form while that is the formal scientific term

Surface Forms

mallow family singular
mallow families plural

Morphology

mallow + family

The meaning ('a family of flowering plants related to mallow') is directly and compositionally derived from combining 'mallow' (the plant) with 'family' (a grouping or taxonomic category). This follows a common noun + noun naming pattern and, despite being a botanical term, would be understandable to a B1 learner who knows both constituent words and the general notion of biological 'family'.

Etymology

Mallow family comes from the soft, common plant called mallow, which people long ago used to make a simple medicine. So, it means the 'group' of plants related to mallow, such as cotton and okra.