marsh cress

7.7

A plant that grows in wet places and is eaten in salads and sometimes removed as a weed

noun

Specialized

: berro de pantano

She picked fresh marsh cress to add a peppery flavor to her salad.

Examples

The flooded ditch was full of marsh cress growing alongside the reeds.
Some gardeners remove marsh cress to keep it from spreading among native plants.
I found some marsh cress growing near the river.
The marsh cress in my garden has spread quite a bit.
She picked fresh marsh cress to add a peppery flavor to her salad.
The flooded ditch was full of marsh cress growing alongside the reeds.
Some gardeners remove marsh cress to keep it from spreading among native plants.

Synonyms

cress

vsmarsh cress

4 3.2

A small plant with spicy leaves eaten raw in salads

is the general word, whereas the other term covers plants that grow in damp areas

Rorippa islandica

vsmarsh cress

Specialized

9.9

A small leafy plant like cress that grows in wet places and can be eaten or become a weed

is the general common name for the same plant

yellow watercress

vsmarsh cress

7.0

A plant with yellow flowers that grows in wet places and people use in salads or see as a weed

is the general common term rather than a specific variety name

spring cress

vsmarsh cress

Specialized

7.7

A small plant with white flowers that grows in wet places near streams

is a broader general name for similar plants in damp areas worldwide

cress plant

vsmarsh cress

3.5

A small leafy plant with a peppery taste used in salads

is more specific to damp areas and sometimes regarded as a weed

meadow cress

vsmarsh cress

8.1

A small green plant with bitter, peppery leaves that grows in meadows

is typically found in damp places rather than dry meadows

common garden cress

vsmarsh cress

3.2

A small fast-growing herb with peppery leaves used in salads and as a garnish

is usually wild in damp areas and often considered a weed rather than cultivated

garden cress

vsmarsh cress

3.7

A plant with spicy leaves that grows quickly and is used in salads

is typically wild and grows in damp areas rather than being cultivated

land cress

vsmarsh cress

7.2

A leafy plant like watercress with small spicy leaves used in salads

is more strongly tied to damp wild habitats and sometimes called a weed

American cress

vsmarsh cress

7.4

A leafy plant with peppery leaves used in salads

is commonly wild in damp areas and regarded as a weed in some places

Surface Forms

marsh cress singular

marsh cresses plural

Morphology

marsh + cress

The meaning is directly compositional: 'marsh' (a wetland) + 'cress' (a salad herb) denotes a type of cress that grows in marshy areas. This noun–noun compound follows a common, cross-linguistic naming pattern, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents will readily infer the meaning.

Etymology

Marsh cress is a simple name: marsh means a 'wet place' and cress is a small, peppery plant people eat. So the name describes a leafy plant that grows in damp ground and is often added to 'salads'.