plume grass

9.8

Tall grass with large feathery tops often grown in gardens

noun

: hierba pluma

The plume grass swayed gently in the breeze.

Examples

Gardeners often use plume grass as an ornamental plant because of its attractive, fluffy seed heads.
Large stands of plume grass can be seen along riverbanks and wetlands throughout the southeastern United States.
The plume grass swayed gently in the autumn breeze, its feathery tops shimmering in the sunlight.
In the fall, the plume grasses turn a beautiful golden color.
In the summer, the tall plume grass swayed gently in the breeze, creating a beautiful sight.
The landscape was dotted with plume grass, which added a soft, feathery texture to the otherwise flat terrain.
During our hike, we noticed that the plume grass by the river had started to bloom, showcasing its large, feathery plumes.

Synonyms

Erianthus

vsplume grass

Specialized

9.9

A tall grass with stems like a reed and long soft flower heads

is a specific tall reedlike species known for very large feathery plumes

How Feathery

plume grass

9.8

pampas grass

6.8

reed

29 1.9

grass

521 1.0

Surface Forms

plume grass singular

plume grasses plural

Morphology

plume + grass

The meaning 'a grass with feathery plumes' is directly and compositionally derived from 'plume' (feathery column/featherlike) + 'grass' (plant), forming a descriptive noun–noun compound. This straightforward descriptive pattern is common in English and other languages, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents would readily infer the MWE's meaning.

Etymology

Plume grass comes from the words plume, meaning a 'feather-like tuft', and grass, because the plant has tall stems topped by soft, feathery plumes. That's why the name means a tall grass with large, fluffy seed heads often used for decoration.