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Glite Dictionary
Zizania aquatica

Zizania aquatica

9.9
A water grass in North America that grows edible grains called wild rice
  • noun
  • /zɪˈzeɪniə əˈkwɑːtɪkə/
  • Specialized
translation icon : Zizania aquatica
  • The grains of Zizania aquatica are marketed as wild rice in grocery stores.

Examples

  • Many Native American tribes traditionally harvested Zizania aquatica from lakes and rivers.

  • Farmers in Minnesota grow Zizania aquatica for its nutritious grain.

  • Zizania aquatica plays an important role in supporting wetland wildlife.

  • Did you know that Zizania aquatica is often harvested in the fall?

  • Many Native American tribes traditionally harvested Zizania aquatica from lakes and rivers.

  • The grains of Zizania aquatica are marketed as wild rice in grocery stores.

  • Farmers in Minnesota grow Zizania aquatica for its nutritious grain.

Synonyms

wild rice
vsZizania aquatica
  • US
4 3.3

A long dark grain from water plants that people cook and eat

is the specific perennial aquatic grass species cultivated for that grain

Surface Forms

Zizania aquatica singular
Zizania aquaticae plural

Morphology

Zizania + aquatica

This is a compositional scientific name: 'Zizania' (a genus of edible-seeded grasses) plus the epithet 'aquatica' (clearly related to English 'aquatic'). A learner who knows both constituents can directly infer it denotes an aquatic species of Zizania (i.e., a perennial aquatic grass/wild rice), so the meaning is transparently derived from its parts.

Etymology

Zizania aquatica comes from old words: Zizania meant a wild grass and aquatica means 'living in water'. So the name shows a grass that grows in lakes and rivers and makes the 'wild rice' people harvest today.