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Glite Dictionary
water buttercup

water buttercup

8.7
A plant in ponds and slow streams with white flowers and floating leaves
  • noun
translation icon : ranúnculo de agua
  • The white flowers of the water buttercup stood out against the green, floating leaves.

Examples

  • Many aquatic insects use the water buttercup as shelter during the summer months.

  • In the shallow pond, clusters of water buttercup bloomed among the reeds.

  • The water buttercup blooms beautifully in the spring.

  • Many water buttercups thrive in the shallow waters of the pond.

  • In the shallow pond, clusters of water buttercup bloomed among the reeds.

  • The white flowers of the water buttercup stood out against the green, floating leaves.

  • Many aquatic insects use the water buttercup as shelter during the summer months.

Synonyms

water crowfoot
vswater buttercup
  • Specialized
9.5

A water plant with floating leaves and small white flowers that grows in ponds and slow streams

has the same meaning but uses a different common name
Ranunculus aquatilis
vswater buttercup
  • Specialized
9.9

A water plant with white flowers and leaves that float or grow under water found in ponds and slow streams

is the general name for the plant group rather than a single species

Surface Forms

water buttercup singular
water buttercups plural

Morphology

water + buttercup

The compound is compositional: 'water' (an aquatic environment) modifies 'buttercup' (a type of plant/flower), so 'water buttercup' straightforwardly means a buttercup that grows in water. This noun+noun subtype formation is a common, cross-linguistically transparent pattern, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents would be able to infer the meaning.

Etymology

The name water buttercup simply means a buttercup that lives in water. People thought its small, cup-shaped flowers looked like little cups floating on ponds, so the name shows both the plant type and where it grows.