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Glite Dictionary
cliff-brake

cliff-brake

9.9
A small fern that grows on rocks in warm places
  • noun
  • /klɪf breɪk/
translation icon : helecho de acantilado
  • The cliff-brake thrives in crevices along the rocky hillsides.

Examples

  • Several species of cliff-brake can be found in this warm temperate region.

  • We spotted a rare cliff-brake during our hike in the canyon.

  • The cliff-brake thrives in rocky environments.

  • I spotted a cliff-brake while hiking in the mountains.

  • The cliff-brake is often found clinging to the sides of steep rocks in tropical forests.

  • During our nature walk, we discovered a beautiful cliff-brake flourishing on the rocky outcrop.

  • Many hikers admire the cliff-brake ferns that grow in the crevices of the cliffs.

Synonyms

cliff brake
vscliff-brake
  • UK
9.9

A small fern that grows on rocks or cliffs

is used more generally for ferns growing on rocks, not only cliffs
rock brake
vscliff-brake
9.3

A small fern that grows on rocks

is limited to tropical and warm temperate regions
Pellaea ornithopus
vscliff-brake
  • Specialized
9.9

A small fern that grows on cliffs in California with purple-brown stems

refers to a group of similar small ferns rather than one species

Surface Forms

cliff-brake singular
cliff-brakes plural

Morphology

cliff-brake = cliff + brake (opaque) = cliff + brake

Although formally a compound 'cliff' + 'brake', the sense of 'brake' = 'fern' is archaic/rare, so the compound's meaning is not obvious to typical learners.

Etymology

Cliff-brake combines cliff and brake, where brake is an old English word for 'fern', like bracken. So a cliff-brake is literally a fern that grows on cliffs.