prairie trefoil
- noun
- /ˈprɛəri ˈtrɛfɔɪl/
- US
:
trébol de pradera
- In the summer, the vibrant red flowers of prairie trefoil brighten the landscape.
Examples
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The fields were dotted with blooming prairie trefoil during late spring.
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She planted prairie trefoil to attract pollinators to her garden.
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Botanists recorded the spread of prairie trefoil across the restored grasslands.
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The prairie trefoil blooms beautifully in the summer.
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Many prairie trefoils can be found in the fields of Texas.
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While walking through the prairie, I admired the clusters of prairie trefoil swaying in the breeze.
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The prairie trefoil is an important plant for supporting local bee populations in North America.
Synonyms
A North American annual plant with pink flowers that grows on prairies
A North American plant that lives one year with red or pink flowers in the pea family
A North American plant that lives for one year with bright pink or red pea-like flowers
Surface Forms
Morphology
The noun phrase denotes a trefoil (a clover-like plant) associated with prairies, so its meaning is compositionally derived from 'prairie' + 'trefoil' (a trefoil that grows in prairie habitats). This place+species compound follows a common, transparent pattern across languages, so a B1 learner who knows both constituent words would readily infer the meaning.
Etymology
Prairie trefoil comes from simple words that describe the plant: prairie points to the 'grassland' where it grows, and trefoil means 'three leaves' because the plant's leaves come in groups of three. That's why the name refers to a small, three‑leaved flower found on prairies.
