Rocky-mountain maple
- noun
- Specialized
- In autumn, the leaves of the Rocky-mountain maple turn brilliant shades of red and orange.
Examples
-
The Rocky-mountain maple is often found growing along streams in the Pacific Northwest.
-
Gardeners appreciate the Rocky-mountain maple for its hardiness and attractive foliage.
-
The Rocky-mountain maple is a beautiful tree.
-
Many gardeners love the Rocky-mountain maple for its unique leaves.
-
In autumn, the leaves of the Rocky-mountain maple turn brilliant shades of red and orange.
-
Gardeners appreciate the Rocky-mountain maple for its hardiness and attractive foliage.
-
The Rocky-mountain maple is often found growing along streams in the Pacific Northwest.
Synonyms
A small maple tree that grows in western North America and is called Rocky Mountain maple
A small maple tree with short height and bright autumn leaves
Surface Forms
Morphology
Rocky-mountain + maple
The compound names a species of maple associated with the Rocky Mountains, so a learner who knows 'rocky'/'mountain' (place/terrain) and 'maple' (a tree) can readily infer it denotes a type of maple from that region. This place-based compound is morphologically compositional and follows a transparent naming pattern common across languages, so the meaning is directly derivable from the parts.
Etymology
Rocky-mountain maple gets its name from where it grows and what it is: it grows on rocky mountain slopes and it is a maple. The picture of a small, low maple growing on rocks helps you remember it means 'a small maple tree from that mountain area'.