shell ginger
- noun
:
jengibre de concha
- We planted shell ginger along the walkway for their attractive foliage.
Examples
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A vase of fresh-cut shell ginger flowers added color to the dining room.
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The shell ginger blooms beautifully in spring.
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The shell ginger in her garden flourished under the tropical sun.
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Look at that beautiful shell ginger!
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The shell ginger in her garden flourished under the tropical sun.
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A vase of fresh-cut shell ginger flowers added color to the dining room.
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We planted shell ginger along the walkway for their attractive foliage.
Synonyms
A tropical plant with shiny long leaves and fragrant white and pink flowers
A tropical plant with shiny long leaves and clusters of white and pink flowers with crinkled yellow-striped centers
A plant with shiny leaves and clusters of white flowers slightly pink with crinkled yellow lips and dark pink stripes
A ginger plant with shiny long leaves and arching clusters of white flowers with pink and yellow marks
Surface Forms
Morphology
The head noun 'ginger' makes the compound clearly denote a kind of ginger/plant, so a learner who knows 'ginger' can infer the general category. However, the modifier 'shell' does not transparently explain the distinctive features (its link to shells or flower shape is not obvious), so the precise meaning and appearance are not fully predictable without prior exposure.
Etymology
Shell ginger likely gets its name from the plant's pretty flowers that look like small, curved shells on a plant in the ginger family. So today shell ginger simply means 'a tropical plant' with shiny leaves and shell-like flowers.
