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Glite Dictionary
princess feather

princess feather

9.2
A yearly garden plant with long hanging red flower spikes
  • noun
  • US
translation icon : pluma de príncipe
  • Many gardeners choose princess feather for its strikingly drooping crimson flower spikes.

Examples

  • The vibrant princess feather added a dramatic splash of color to the summer garden.

  • While native to Asia and Australia, princess feather has become popular in North American landscapes.

  • The princess feather blooms beautifully in the summer.

  • I planted princess feathers in my garden last spring.

  • Many gardeners choose princess feather for its strikingly drooping crimson flower spikes.

  • The vibrant princess feather added a dramatic splash of color to the summer garden.

  • While native to Asia and Australia, princess feather has become popular in North American landscapes.

Synonyms

prince's-feather
vsprincess feather
  • UK
1 9.9

A tall garden plant with long colorful flower spikes

is described mainly by slender drooping crimson flower spikes
prince's-plume
vsprincess feather
  • UK
9.9

An annual plant with broad rounded leaves and long thin clusters of red hanging flowers

is the alternative name form for the same plant
Polygonum orientale
vsprincess feather
  • Specialized
9.9

An annual plant with wide oval leaves and thin hanging spikes of red flowers called prince's-feather

is known by a different common name in some sources
kiss-me-over-the-garden-gate
vsprincess feather
9.9

A garden plant with broad leaves and long hanging red flower spikes

is primarily noted as naturalized rather than widely cultivated

Surface Forms

princess feather singular
princess feathers plural

Morphology

princess + feather

The element 'feather' transparently suggests a feathery or plume-like part of a plant, so a B1 learner who knows both words could infer it refers to a plant with feather-like inflorescences. However, 'princess' is an ornamental, non-botanical modifier that does not specify species, life cycle, or flower color, and the full specific meaning is conventionalized for a particular plant, so the exact sense is not fully derivable from the constituents.

Etymology

Princess feather is named for its long, soft, drooping red flower spikes that look like a delicate feather, while princess gives the image of something pretty and special. So the name helps you remember this garden plant with bright, hanging flowers, sometimes called 'love-lies-bleeding'.