mother-in-law's tongue

5.5

A houseplant with long upright thick leaves often called snake plant

noun
/ˈmʌðər ɪn lɔːz tʌŋ/

: lengua de suegra

She placed a mother-in-law's tongue in her living room, where it added a touch of greenery.

Examples

The mother-in-law's tongue in the corner of the living room hardly needs any water.
Many people choose mother-in-law's tongue because it is easy to care for and purifies the air.
She placed a potted mother-in-law's tongue on her office desk to brighten the space.
I bought a mother-in-law's tongue for my living room.
My mother-in-law's tongue is thriving in the sunlight.
The mother-in-law's tongue is known for its ability to survive in low light and dry conditions.
With its long, upright leaves, the mother-in-law's tongue is an attractive houseplant for beginners.

Synonyms

Sansevieria trifasciata

vsmother-in-law's tongue

Specialized

8.1

A common houseplant with long, stiff leaves that grow upright

is the common household name rather than the botanical label

snake plant

vsmother-in-law's tongue

3.9

A houseplant with long, stiff leaves that grow upright

is a longer traditional name that describes leaf shape more vividly

mother-in-law plant

vsmother-in-law's tongue

8.8

An indoor plant with large dark leaves that can make your tongue and throat swell if eaten

focuses on the plant's long upright rigid leaves and indoor use rather than toxicity

Antonyms

deciduous plant

4.8

A plant that loses its leaves each year in autumn

Surface Forms

mother-in-law's tongue singular

mother-in-law's tongues plural

Morphology

mother-in-law's + tongue

This is a folk/common name for a plant whose meaning (a species of houseplant) is not directly derivable from the literal words 'mother-in-law's' and 'tongue'; a B1 learner would more likely interpret it as something to do with speech or a figurative comment about a mother-in-law rather than a plant. Even though some languages use a similar calque, the referential link to a specific plant is idiomatic and unpredictable without prior exposure.

Etymology

The plant name mother-in-law's tongue may come from its long, stiff leaves that look like a sharp tongue. One popular story says people compared the leaf to a 'sharp' mother-in-law's tongue, so that's why the name is used for this plant today.