oxtongue

9.9

A wild plant with spiny, flat leaves shaped like a tongue and yellow flowers

noun
/ˈɑkˌstʌŋ/

: lengua de buey

Gardeners often struggle to remove oxtongue because of its spiny leaves.

Examples

She recognized the yellow flowers of oxtongue by the roadside.
The field was full of wild oxtongue growing among the tall grasses.
The oxtongue plant can be found in many gardens.
I noticed some oxtongues growing along the trail.
Gardeners often struggle to remove oxtongue because of its spiny leaves.
She recognized the yellow flowers of oxtongue blooming in the field.
The field was full of wild oxtongue growing among the tall grasses.

Synonyms

bristly oxtongue

vsoxtongue

9.2

A weed with spiny, tongue-shaped leaves and yellow flowers

is the general common name rather than this specific label

Picris echioides

vsoxtongue

Specialized

9.9

A European wild plant with spiny leaves and yellow dandelion-like flowers often seen as a weed

is the common name used in everyday speech rather than the scientific name

bitterweed

vsoxtongue

9.9

A plant with spiny, tongue-shaped leaves and small yellow flowers that grows as a weed

is the usual common name rather than this alternative name

Compounds

bristly oxtongue

9.2

A weed with spiny, tongue-shaped leaves and yellow flowers

Surface Forms

oxtongue singular

oxtongues plural

Morphology

oxtongue = ox + tongue (semi-transparent) = ox + tongue

The components 'ox' + 'tongue' are clear and describe the leaf shape, but the specific referent 'a plant species' is not directly inferable by all learners.

Etymology

Oxtongue comes from the simple picture of the plant: the parts ox and tongue were joined because its long, rough leaves look like an ox's 'tongue'. So the name helps you remember this spiny, tongue-shaped weed.