spatulate leaf
- noun
- /ˈspætʃʊlɪt liːf/
- Specialized
- A spatulate leaf tapers at the base and widens toward the tip, resembling a kitchen spatula.
Examples
-
You can distinguish this species by the unique shape of its spatulate leaf.
-
With its broad, rounded tip, the spatulate leaf catches the sunlight effectively for photosynthesis.
-
The plant can be easily identified by its spatulate leaf structure.
-
Look at that spatulate leaf over there!
-
The spatulate leaf resembles a kitchen utensil.
-
The spatulate leaf of the plant has a wide tip that makes it easily recognizable in the garden.
-
Botanists often study the spatulate leaf for its unique adaptation to the environment.
Synonyms
A leaf shaped like an egg with the narrow end near the stem
How Broad
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'a leaf shaped like a spatula' is directly and transparently derived from combining 'spatulate' (shaped like a spatula) with 'leaf' (a plant organ). This adjective+noun descriptive composition follows normal compositional patterns and would be immediately understandable to a B1 learner who knows both constituents, even if 'spatulate' is somewhat specialist vocabulary.
Etymology
The phrase spatulate leaf is a plant term that creates a clear picture. Spatulate means like a kitchen spatula and leaf is the plant part, so it refers to a leaf that is 'wide at the tip and narrow at the base'.