beefsteak geranium
- noun
- /ˈbifˌsteɪk ˈdʒɛrənɪəm/
:
geranio beefsteak
- The beefsteak geranium is prized for its dramatic, colorful foliage in home gardens.
Examples
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She placed a beefsteak geranium in the sunniest window to encourage healthy growth.
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The beefsteak geranium thrives in indirect sunlight.
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Collectors often seek rare varieties of beefsteak geranium for their unique leaf patterns.
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I bought a beefsteak geranium for my living room.
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The beefsteak geranium is a popular houseplant known for its vibrant and varied leaf colors.
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Many gardeners choose the beefsteak geranium because of its unique leaf texture and minimal flower display.
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To maintain its health, it's important to water the beefsteak geranium regularly but avoid letting it sit in water.
Synonyms
A decorative indoor plant with large rough leaves often showing silver or purple
A houseplant grown for its large patterned leaves in silver, purple, and bronze
A plant grown indoors with colorful patterned leaves for decoration
Surface Forms
Morphology
beefsteak + Geranium
The phrase follows a transparent modifier + noun pattern so a B1 learner who knows 'beefsteak' (as a large piece of meat) and 'geranium' (a plant) can infer this is a kind of geranium with beefsteak-like qualities (e.g., large or fleshy leaves). However, the precise botanical identity and specific features (it is actually a hybrid begonia with particular leaf colouring and texture) are not predictable from the parts alone, so the transparency is limited.
Etymology
Beefsteak geranium may get its name from the plant's large, flat leaves that look like a piece of raw 'beef' or a 'steak'. The word beefsteak points to that meat-like look and geranium was a garden name for similar houseplants, so the name now means a houseplant that is actually a 'begonia' and is known for big, colorful 'leaves'.
