quinquefoliate leaf
- noun
- /kwɪŋkweɪˈfoʊliˌeɪt liːf/
- Specialized
- Each quinquefoliate leaf on this tree is made up of five smaller leaflets.
Examples
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Botanists can often identify species by observing a quinquefoliate leaf pattern.
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The rose bush in the garden has a quinquefoliate leaf structure.
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The quinquefoliate leaf is unique to certain plants.
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Many species have a quinquefoliate leaf structure.
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The quinquefoliate leaf of the poison ivy plant clearly shows five distinct leaflets.
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You can recognize the quinquefoliate leaf of the buckeye tree by its five leaflets.
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In botany, a quinquefoliate leaf is characterized by being divided into five leaflets.
How Many
- Specialized
- Specialized
1
8.6
- Specialized
- Specialized
1
3.5
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly compositional: 'quinquefoliate' denotes a five-leaflet form and 'leaf' is the plant organ, so together they describe a leaf with five distinct leaflets. Although 'quinquefoliate' is technical vocabulary, the morphological parts (quinque- = five, foliate = leaf-like) make the overall meaning predictable for a learner who knows the constituent words.
Etymology
Quinquefoliate leaf comes from parts quinquefoliate ('five') and leaf ('leaf'). It names one leaf made of five small leaflets, like a hand with five fingers, so it means 'a leaf with five parts'.