Liquidambar styraciflua
- noun
- /ˌlɪkwɪˈdæmbər ˌstɪrəˈsɪfluə/
- Specialized
:
Liquidámbar
- The spiky fruit of the Liquidambar styraciflua can be found scattered on the ground in late fall.
Examples
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The distinctive leaves of the Liquidambar styraciflua turn brilliant colors in the autumn.
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Many city streets are lined with Liquidambar styraciflua trees for their ornamental value.
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Look at that beautiful Liquidambar styraciflua!
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The Liquidambar styraciflua tree is known for its vibrant fall colors.
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Many city streets are lined with Liquidambar styraciflua trees for their ornamental value.
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The distinctive leaves of the Liquidambar styraciflua turn brilliant colors in the autumn.
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The spiky fruit of the Liquidambar styraciflua can be found scattered on the ground in late fall.
Synonyms
1
6.0
A North American tree with spiky round seed balls and sweet-smelling sap and red leaves in autumn
1
6.1
A North American tree with star-shaped leaves and prickly round fruits
A North American tree with star-shaped leaves, spiky round fruit, and sticky fragrant sap
A tall North American tree with star-shaped leaves, prickly round fruit, and fragrant sap
A North American tree with spiky round fruits and scented sap
Surface Forms
Morphology
liquidambar + styraciflua
This is a Latin binomial (genus + species) used as a taxonomic proper name rather than a compositional English phrase; its meaning ('American sweetgum') is a label, not something inferable from ordinary English vocabulary. The species epithet 'styraciflua' is not a common English word and the parts do not transparently combine to give the tree's meaning, so a B1 learner who knows the constituents would not be able to derive the sense.
Etymology
Liquidambar styraciflua gets its name from old words meaning Liquidambar ('liquid amber') and styraciflua ('flowing with sap'). The tree makes a sweet, sticky sap that looks and smells like amber, so the name and the common name 'sweetgum' point to that fragrant gum.