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Glite Dictionary
water-plantain family

water-plantain family

9.3
A group of plants that live in wet places like ponds and marshes, often with broad leaves
  • noun
  • /ˈwɔːtər ˈplænteɪn ˈfæmɪli/
  • Specialized
translation icon : familia de plantagos de agua
  • Members of the water-plantain family have distinctive broad leaves and thrive in shallow water.

Examples

  • The water-plantain family is common in wetlands throughout North America.

  • Several species in the water-plantain family are cultivated for use in ponds and water gardens.

  • The water-plantain family thrives in wetland areas.

  • Many species in the water-plantain family prefer shallow waters.

  • The water-plantain family includes plants commonly found in marshy areas and along the edges of lakes.

  • You can identify members of the water-plantain family by their large leaves and preference for wet habitats.

  • Gardeners often select varieties from the water-plantain family to enhance the beauty of aquatic landscapes.

Synonyms

Alismataceae
vswater-plantain family
  • Specialized
9.9

A family of water and marsh plants like water plantains that grow in wet places

adds that members are annual or perennial rather than leaving lifespan unspecified

Surface Forms

water-plantain family singular
water-plantain families plural

Morphology

water-plantain + family

The phrase is compositionally a noun-modifier + head: 'water-plantain' names a type of aquatic plant and 'family' denotes the taxonomic group, so the meaning is simply the family of water-plantains. The X + family pattern is a regular, cross-linguistic scientific naming pattern, making the MWE predictable for B1 learners who know the constituent words.

Etymology

Water-plantain family: The name water-plantain family comes from the plants called water-plantains, which have broad leaves and grow in shallow water. The word family shows they are a group of related plants, so the name means 'a group of plants that live in wet places'.