water cabbage
- noun
- Australian
:
lechuga de agua
- The pond was covered with water cabbage, making it difficult for boats to pass through.
Examples
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We could see fish swimming beneath the floating water cabbage in the shallow lake.
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In some regions, water cabbage is considered an invasive species that clogs waterways.
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The water cabbage floated gracefully on the lake.
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Have you seen the water cabbages in the river?
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In some regions, water cabbage is considered an invasive species that clogs waterways.
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The pond was covered with water cabbage, making it difficult for boats to pass through.
-
We could see fish swimming beneath the floating water cabbage in the shallow lake.
Synonyms
A floating water plant with round leaves like lettuce that often forms thick mats
A floating plant like a small green lettuce that covers the surface of water
A floating tropical plant with soft green leaves that form a round cluster on water
Surface Forms
Morphology
water + cabbage
The compound is directly compositional: 'water' + 'cabbage' signals a cabbage-like plant associated with water, so a learner who knows both words can infer it refers to an aquatic plant resembling cabbage. This type of 'water + noun' formation is a common, cross-linguistic pattern for naming aquatic variants, making the meaning predictable to a B1 learner.
Etymology
Water cabbage may come from the plant's round, layered leaves that look like a small cabbage floating on the water. Because these leafy mats grow fast and can block rivers and ponds, the name is used for this aquatic plant that is often a 'weed'.
