resurrection plant
- noun
- /ˌrɛzəˈrɛkʃən plænt/
- The resurrection plant survived months without water and revived instantly after a rainstorm.
Examples
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Desert travelers are often amazed by the resurrection plant's ability to rehydrate and turn green.
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Researchers are studying how the resurrection plant can endure extreme drought conditions.
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The resurrection plant can survive extreme drought.
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I bought a resurrection plant for my office.
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Desert travelers are often amazed by the resurrection plant's ability to rehydrate and turn green.
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The resurrection plant survived months without water and revived instantly after a rainstorm.
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Researchers are studying how the resurrection plant can endure extreme drought conditions.
Synonyms
A desert plant that curls into a ball when dry and opens when wet
A small grey desert plant that curls up when dry and opens when wet
A plant that can dry up and come back to life when watered
A small plant that curls into a dry ball with no water and opens when it gets wet
A fern that grows on trees or rocks and appears dead when dry but comes back to life after rain
Surface Forms
Morphology
The compound is directly interpretable from 'resurrection' (renewal/reappearance) + 'plant' — a plant that undergoes a kind of revival. This follows regular noun-noun compounding in English and is conceptually transparent (and cross-linguistically plausible), so a B1 learner who knows both words can infer the meaning.
Etymology
Resurrection plant The name resurrection plant comes from the sight of a dry, brown plant that suddenly greens and seems to 'come back to life' after rain. That's why the name means 'a plant that looks dead but revives'.