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scented fern

scented fern

7.6
A fern with leaves that smell pleasant when crushed
  • noun
translation icon : helecho fragante
  • The scented fern gives off a pleasant aroma when its leaves are crushed.

Examples

  • She planted a scented fern in the shady corner of her garden.

  • Wild scented ferns grew abundantly along the hiking trail.

  • The scented fern filled the room with a fresh aroma.

  • Have you ever seen a scented fern in the wild?

  • She planted a scented fern in the shady corner of her garden.

  • The scented fern gives off a pleasant aroma when its leaves are crushed.

  • Wild scented ferns grew abundantly along the hiking trail.

Synonyms

fragrant shield fern
vsscented fern
  • UK
8.9

A green plant with divided leaves that smell pleasant

is the general name for any fern with an obvious scent
fragrant wood fern
vsscented fern
  • UK
8.2

A plant that grows in shady woods with many long leaves that smell pleasant

is a broader category covering any fern notable for its smell
fragrant cliff fern
vsscented fern
  • UK
9.4

A fern with fragrant leaves that grows on rocky cliffs in cold regions

is the wider term for any fern distinguished by a noticeable smell
Mohria caffrorum
vsscented fern
  • Specialized
9.9

A fern from Africa with narrow divided leaves and a sweet smell

refers more generally to any fern with a noticeable smell rather than type
hay-scented fern
vsscented fern
  • US
9.3

A plant with pale green feathery leaves that smells like hay when touched

is broader, covering any fern known for a noticeable scent not only hay
Dennstaedtia punctilobula
vsscented fern
  • Specialized
9.9

A fern with pale green divided leaves that smells like hay

is the broader term for any fern notable for its scent not just hay
boulder fern
vsscented fern
  • Specialized
9.9

A fern with pale green leaves that smells like hay and grows in eastern North America

is the general label for any fern with a noticeable smell, not only hay
mountain fern
vsscented fern
  • UK
6.7

A fern that grows in European mountains and has leaves that smell like lemon or balsam

is broader, referring to any fern with a noticeable scent not just citrus
Dryopteris oreopteris
vsscented fern
  • Specialized
9.9

A European mountain fern with lemon or balsam scented leaves

is a broader label for any fern notable for scent rather than this exact smell
Oreopteris limbosperma
vsscented fern
  • Specialized
9.9

A mountain fern from Europe with leaves that smell like lemon

is the general term for any fern with an obvious scent, not only this variety
licorice fern
vsscented fern
  • Specialized
9.6

A fern with a sweet root that grows on logs in western North America

focuses on frond scent rather than taste or rootstock flavor

Surface Forms

scented fern singular
scented ferns plural

Morphology

scented + fern

The phrase is a straightforward adjective + noun composition: 'scented' (having a fragrance) modifies 'fern' (a plant), so the meaning 'a fern that has a pleasant smell' is directly derivable from the parts. This literal, compositional structure is common cross-linguistically and would be clear to a B1 learner who knows both constituent words.

Etymology

Scented fern comes from a simple picture: a fern whose leaves give off a smell when you crush them, and the word scented points to that smell. That's why the name means 'a fern with a strong smell'.