petty spurge
- noun
- /ˈpɛti spɜrdʒ/
- UK
:
euphorbia menor
- Gardeners are advised to remove petty spurge before it spreads its seeds.
Examples
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Researchers observed that petty spurge can quickly invade bare ground in new environments.
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The petty spurge is often found in gardens.
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Petty spurge often grows in gardens and disturbed soils throughout the summer.
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Many gardeners consider petty spurges a nuisance.
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In the garden, I often find petty spurge growing among the flowers and vegetables.
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The petty spurge is known for its small yellow flowers and can easily spread in a neglected area.
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Many gardeners consider petty spurge a nuisance because it quickly fills empty spaces in the soil.
Synonyms
A small weed plant with milky sap that grows in gardens and fields
Surface Forms
Morphology
The noun phrase composes the adjective 'petty' (small/trivial) with the noun 'spurge' (a type of plant), so its meaning as a small species of spurge is directly derivable from the parts. This kind of descriptive compound is common in plant names across languages, so a B1 learner who knows both words would very likely understand the MWE.
Etymology
Petty spurge: The name spurge comes from an old word meaning 'to purge' because people once used the plant's milky sap as a strong medicine to clear the stomach and bowels. The word petty simply means small, so petty spurge is the little spurge weed.
