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Glite Dictionary
wild clary

wild clary

9.9
A plant with blue flowers often grown or found in fields and gardens and used as an herb
  • noun
translation icon : salvia silvestre
  • Gardeners prize wild clary for its attractive blue flowers and ability to thrive in poor soil.

Examples

  • The wild clary blooms beautifully in the spring.

  • The wild clary was blooming all along the country path.

  • Many herbs, such as wild clary, are used in traditional remedies.

  • Have you ever seen a wild clary in the wild?

  • Gardeners prize wild clary for its attractive blue flowers that brighten any garden.

  • The wild clary grows abundantly in fields, showcasing its lovely blue blooms.

  • Unlike many other plants, wild clary flourishes even in poor soil conditions.

Synonyms

Salvia verbenaca
vswild clary
  • Specialized
9.9

A sage plant from Europe and Asia with blue flowers and verbena-like leaves

is the common name used instead of the Latin name
vervain sage
vswild clary
  • UK
9.9

A plant with blue flowers and leaves like verbena

is the other common name used in some regions

Surface Forms

wild clary singular
wild claries plural

Morphology

wild + clary

The phrase 'wild clary' is directly compositional: 'wild' (growing naturally) simply modifies 'clary' (a herb), so the meaning is 'clary that grows in the wild.' This adjective + noun pattern is a basic, cross-linguistic construction and would be immediately understandable to a B1 learner who knows both constituents.

Etymology

Wild clary may come from an old word clary meaning 'clear', because people once used the plant's seeds or juice as eye drops to 'clear' the eyes; the word wild simply shows it grows in nature, so wild clary today names a wild sage with blue flowers.