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Glite Dictionary
🌱 A northern herb 🥗 A salad plant
scurvy grass

scurvy grass

9.9
A small coastal plant with yellow flowers high in vitamin C
  • noun
  • Archaic
translation icon : hierba escorbútica
  • Sailors once relied on scurvy grass to fend off vitamin C deficiency during long sea voyages.

Examples

  • I found scurvy grass growing near the rocky coastline on our Arctic expedition.

  • Botanists study scurvy grass for its historical significance in preventing scurvy.

  • Many sailors relied on scurvy grass during long voyages.

  • Have you ever tried scurvy grass in your salad?

  • Sailors once relied on scurvy grass to fend off vitamin C deficiency during long sea voyages.

  • I found scurvy grass growing near the rocky coastline on our Arctic expedition.

  • Botanists study scurvy grass for its historical significance in preventing scurvy.

Synonyms

common scurvy grass
vsscurvy grass
  • UK
8.7

A small plant with edible leaves high in vitamin C that sailors used to prevent scurvy

is a general northern cress plant rather than this single species
Cochlearia officinalis
vsscurvy grass
  • Specialized
9.9

A small coastal plant called scurvy-grass that contains vitamin C and helps prevent scurvy

is the broader small herbaceous northern plant term not the specific species
Cochlearia
vsscurvy grass
  • Specialized
9.9

A coastal plant with leaves rich in vitamin C that sailors carried to stop scurvy

is the single small northern herb meaning rather than the whole genus

Surface Forms

scurvy grass singular
scurvy grasses plural

Morphology

scurvy + grass

The compound combines 'scurvy' (vitamin C deficiency) with 'grass' (a plant), so its meaning as a plant associated with scurvy or used for vitamin C is directly inferable from the constituents. This modifier+head compounding pattern is common and transparent, so a B1 learner who knows both words would grasp the general idea even without botanical detail.

Etymology

Scurvy grass got its name because sailors and coastal people ate the small plant to prevent 'scurvy'. The words scurvy and grass give the clear image of a plant used as food and medicine, which is why the name means the plant that helped stop the disease.