marsh pea
- noun
- UK
- The marsh pea produces beautiful purplish flowers during the spring and summer.
Examples
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We spotted a marsh pea growing near the edge of the wetland trail.
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Botanists conducted a survey of marsh pea populations in the flooded meadow.
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The marsh pea blooms beautifully in spring.
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I found a marsh pea plant near the riverbank.
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The marsh pea produces beautiful purplish flowers during the spring and summer.
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We spotted a marsh pea growing near the edge of the wetland trail.
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Botanists conducted a survey of marsh pea populations in the flooded meadow.
Synonyms
A climbing plant that lives for several years in wet places like marshes with purple flowers
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly and transparently compositional: 'marsh' (wetland) modifies 'pea' (a type of plant), so the phrase denotes a pea plant that grows in marshy areas. This is a straightforward noun–noun compound following common descriptive patterns, so a B1 learner who knows both words would readily infer the meaning.
Etymology
Marsh pea comes from the plant's name: it joins marsh meaning wet ground and pea because the plant looks like a small pea. So the name means a 'pea' plant that grows in wet, marshy places.