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Glite Dictionary
Japanese iris

Japanese iris

5.1
A tall plant with large colorful flowers, usually purple or white, that grows near water
  • noun
  • /ˈdʒæpəˌniː ˈaɪrɪs/
translation icon : iris japonés
  • The Japanese iris thrives in moist, acidic soil, making it ideal for water gardens.
  • Siberian and Japanese iris

Examples

  • Japanese iris.

    Blog text (25)

  • The garden was vibrant with blooming Japanese iris, showcasing their large, striking flowers.

  • In Japan, many people cultivate Japanese iris for their beauty in traditional gardens.

Synonyms

Iris kaempferi
vsJapanese iris
  • Specialized
8.7

A garden plant from Japan with large, showy flowers

is the wild species noted for large striking flowers rather than garden cultivation

Surface Forms

Japanese iris singular
Japanese irises plural

Morphology

Japanese + iris

The meaning 'a species of iris from Japan' is directly and transparently derived from combining 'Japanese' (of or from Japan) with 'iris' (a type of flower). This adjectival + noun composition is a common, compositional pattern cross-linguistically, so a B1 learner who knows both words will readily infer the MWE meaning.

Etymology

Japanese iris names a type of iris that first grew in Japan. The word iris comes from a Greek word meaning 'rainbow' because the flowers have bright colors, and the Japanese part shows where the plant came from, so the name means the colorful iris from Japan.