blue flag
- noun
- /blu flæɡ/
- US
:
bandera azul
- The herbalist recommended using blue flag root as a natural remedy for various ailments.
- blue flag iris
Examples
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In wetlands across eastern North America, the blue flag iris blooms with stunning blue flowers every spring.
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The blue flag blooms beautifully in the spring.
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Botanists studied the medicinal properties of the blue flag root in the nineteenth century.
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The blue flag blooms along streams and wet meadows from late spring to early summer.
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We spotted several blue flags growing by the edge of the pond during our hike.
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I saw a blue flag growing near the pond.
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You can identify the blue flag iris by its vibrant blue petals and its presence in moist areas.
Synonyms
A common iris with blue-violet flowers that grows in eastern North America
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'a blue iris (a plant)' is directly derived from combining 'blue' (a color) with 'flag' (a plant/iris), forming a straightforward adjective + noun composition. This is a common, compositional pattern in English (and other languages), so a B1 learner who knows both constituent senses should be able to infer the MWE meaning.
Etymology
Blue flag names a blue wild iris, and the word flag was used because the plant's flat petals often look like a small flag waving in the wind. So, blue flag means 'a blue iris' and the name also reminds us that its root was once used as medicine.
