European hornbeam
- noun
- UK
:
carpe europeo
- In autumn, the leaves of the European hornbeam turn a striking yellow-orange color.
Examples
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The smooth grey bark of the European hornbeam makes it easy to identify in the wild.
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The European hornbeam is often planted as a hedge or ornamental tree in parks and gardens.
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The European hornbeam grows well in temperate climates.
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I planted a European hornbeam in my garden last spring.
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In autumn, the leaves of the European hornbeam turn a striking yellow-orange color.
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The European hornbeam is often planted as a hedge or ornamental tree in parks and gardens.
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I planted a European hornbeam in my garden last spring.
Synonyms
1
8.9
A tree with smooth gray bark and very hard wood
A medium-sized tree with smooth grey bark and leaves that turn yellow-orange in autumn
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly compositional: 'European' simply specifies the geographic origin of the head noun 'hornbeam', so a learner who knows both words will infer it is a hornbeam from Europe. This modifier + noun pattern is a basic, cross-linguistic construction and therefore transparent to a B1 learner.
Etymology
The name European hornbeam comes from old English: horn meant 'hard like an animal's horn' and beam meant 'tree' or 'wood', so the name gives a clear picture of a tree with very hard wood. That's why the name fits this medium-sized tree known for its smooth grey bark and strong timber.