Nothofagus obliqua

9.9

A tall South American tree whose leaves fall in winter and whose wood is used for furniture

noun

Specialized

: Nothofagus obliqua

Furniture made from Nothofagus obliqua is known for its strength and attractive grain.

Examples

The Nothofagus obliqua is often used in reforestation projects in Chile and Argentina.
During our hike, we passed a stand of ancient Nothofagus obliqua trees towering over the trail.
The Nothofagus obliqua tree can grow up to 40 meters tall.
Many craftsmen prefer Nothofagus obliqua for its fine grain.
During our hike, we passed a stand of ancient Nothofagus obliqua trees towering over the trail.
Furniture made from Nothofagus obliqua is known for its strength and attractive grain.
The Nothofagus obliqua is often used in reforestation projects in Chile and Argentina.

Synonyms

roble beech

vsNothofagus obliqua

9.9

A tall South American tree whose leaves fall and whose strong wood is used for furniture

is named regionally rather than defined by its wood quality

Surface Forms

Nothofagus obliqua singular

Nothofagus obliquas plural

Morphology

Nothofagus + obliqua

This is a Latin binomial: knowing 'Nothofagus' (the southern beech genus) lets a learner infer that the phrase names a species of that tree, so the general category is predictable. However the specific sense and common-name details ('obliqua' as Patagonian oak, tall deciduous tree native to South America) are not derivable from the constituent words alone, and the species epithet offers little transparent semantic content to a B1 learner. The genus–species naming pattern is recognizable cross-linguistically, making the phrase partially but not fully transparent.

Etymology

Nothofagus obliqua gets its name from old words: Nothofagus may mean 'false beech' because the tree looks like a beech, and obliqua means 'slanted', a hint at its leaf shape. So, the name helps you picture a tall South American tree that looks like a beech with slanted leaves and strong wood.