tangle orchid
- noun
- Australian
:
orquídea enredada
- The tangle orchid is prized for its unusual roots and delicate green flowers.
Examples
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The tangle orchid thrives in humid forests where its roots cling to tree branches.
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A botanist discovered several tangle orchids growing wild in the mountain rainforest.
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The tangle orchid thrives in humid environments.
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Many tangle orchids can be found in tropical rainforests.
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A botanist discovered several tangle orchids growing wild in the mountain rainforest.
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The tangle orchid thrives in humid forests where its roots cling to tree branches.
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The tangle orchid is prized for its unusual roots and delicate green flowers.
Synonyms
106
3.9
A plant with unusual colorful flowers that often last a long time
A small group of Australian orchids that includes a few species
A large group of flowering plants that includes many orchids with beautiful flowers
A plant with unusually shaped, colorful flowers often grown in pots
Surface Forms
Morphology
The noun-noun compound 'tangle orchid' straightforwardly combines 'tangle' (a confused mass of twisted things) with 'orchid' (a flowering plant), so its meaning — an orchid characterized by tangled stems/roots — is directly inferable from the parts. This follows a common head-modifier pattern found across languages and involves no idiomatic or metaphorical shift, so a B1 learner who knows both words would understand it.
Etymology
Tangle orchid is named for how the plant grows: its long, wiry stems and roots make a messy tangle as they cling to tree branches. That image explains why the name refers to this type of orchid with knotted roots and small fragrant green flowers.