Dipsacus fullonum
1
9.9
- noun
- Specialized
- The dried heads of Dipsacus fullonum were once widely used in the textile industry for raising the nap on cloth.
Examples
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The Dipsacus fullonum is known for its striking lilac flowers.
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Botanists studied the ecological impact of Dipsacus fullonum as it spread beyond its native range.
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Dipsacus fullonum can often be found growing in meadows and along roadsides across Europe and North America.
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Have you ever seen a Dipsacus fullonum in bloom?
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The dried heads of Dipsacus fullonum were once widely used in the textile industry for raising the nap on cloth.
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Dipsacus fullonum can often be found growing in meadows and along roadsides across Europe and North America.
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Have you ever seen a Dipsacus fullonum in bloom?
Synonyms
1
9.9
A tall prickly plant with spiny flower heads used to brush wool
A prickly plant with lilac flowers and spiky dried heads used by weavers to finish wool cloth
A tall wild plant with spiny flower heads once used to make cloth soft
A prickly wild plant with round flower heads used in dried flower arrangements
Surface Forms
Morphology
Dipsacus + fullonum
The Latin binomial form indicates a species in the genus Dipsacus, so a learner who knows 'Dipsacus' can infer this refers to a kind of teasel (i.e., a plant), giving some transparent cue. However, the specific senses (the lilac-flowered species and its use in fulling) rely on botanical/Latin knowledge and the second element 'fullonum' is not transparent to learners, so the detailed meaning is not predictable from the parts.
Etymology
The plant Dipsacus fullonum gets its name from two older words: Dipsacus comes from a Greek word for 'thirst' because the cup-like leaves hold rainwater, and fullonum comes from the Latin 'fuller' because cloth workers used the dried flower heads to brush wool. So the name remembers both the plant's water-holding cups and its use in cloth making.