Scotch fir
1
7.6
- noun
- /skɒtʃ faɪr/
- UK
- She planted a young Scotch fir in her garden last spring.
Examples
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The Scotch fir is a common sight in Scottish forests.
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The timber from the Scotch fir is valued for its strength and durability.
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A towering Scotch fir stood alone at the edge of the field.
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Many Scotch firs grow tall and straight.
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A towering Scotch fir stood alone at the edge of the field.
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She planted a young Scotch fir in her garden last spring.
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The timber from the Scotch fir is valued for its strength and durability.
Synonyms
1
6.4
A medium to large pine tree with two needles per cluster and reddish brown flaky bark
1
6.4
A pine tree with reddish-brown flaky bark and pairs of needles that grows in northern Europe and Asia
1
8.1
A tall pine tree that has two needles in each bundle and flaky red-brown bark
Surface Forms
Morphology
The compound combines the adjective 'Scotch' (pertaining to Scotland) with the noun 'fir' (a type of coniferous tree), so a B1 learner who knows both words will readily infer it means a fir/tree associated with Scotland. This is a straightforward place-adjective + noun composition, a common, compositional pattern cross-linguistically, making the meaning derivable from the parts.
Etymology
Scotch fir gets its name from the tree's link to Scotland: Scotch used to mean 'from Scotland' and fir was a common word for a tall evergreen tree. That's why the name came to mean this particular kind of pine tree found in Scotland and other northern areas.