wild leek
- noun
- /waɪld lik/
- US
:
ramps
- wild leeks or ramps
- wild leek (Allium tricoccum)
Examples
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In the latter PVA, researchers studied the extinction threshold of wild leek and determined that commercial harvesting was a serious threat.
Academic text (2012) -
In early spring, many foragers search for wild leeks in the woods.
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Wild leeks are often used in salads and soups for their rich flavor.
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During our hike, we found patches of wild leeks near the stream.
Synonyms
3
9.0
A wild onion with broad leaves and a strong garlic smell
A wild plant like an onion with strong edible leaves and bulbs
A wild plant with an edible bulb and leaves that smell like onions
A wild onion with white to pink flowers that grows in North American forests
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'a leek that grows in the wild (ramps)' is directly and transparently derived from combining 'wild' (growing naturally) with 'leek' (a vegetable). This adjective+noun compounding is a common, cross-linguistic pattern, so a B1 learner who knows both words would readily infer the MWE's meaning.
Etymology
Wild leek in North America is the name people gave to the spring herb now often called 'ramps'. It looks and smells like a garden leek but grows wild in the woods, so people gathered it in spring and the name stuck.