common four-o'clock

7.9

A garden plant with scented flowers that open late afternoon

noun
/ˈkɑːmən fɔr əˈklɑk/

: cuatro en punto común

By late afternoon, the common four-o'clock began to fill the air with its sweet scent.

Examples

The common four-o'clock blooms in a variety of vibrant colors throughout the summer.
She planted several common four-o'clock seeds along the garden path.
The common four-o'clock blooms beautifully in my garden.
Have you seen a common four-o'clock flower before?
By late afternoon, the common four-o'clock began to fill the air with its sweet scent.
The common four-o'clock blooms in a variety of vibrant colors throughout the summer.
She planted several common four-o'clock seeds along the garden path.

Synonyms

four o'clock

vscommon four-o'clock

7 7.7

A garden plant with colorful, fragrant flowers that open in the late afternoon

is the specific regional form of that plant rather than the broader group

Mirabilis jalapa

vscommon four-o'clock

Specialized

9.0

A garden plant with fragrant, colorful flowers that open in the late afternoon, often called four o'clock

is the common regional name used in North America rather than the scientific label

marvel-of-Peru

vscommon four-o'clock

9.9

A garden plant with fragrant, colorful flowers that open in late afternoon

is the other common name used regionally rather than this specific label

Surface Forms

common four-o'clock singular

common four-o'clocks plural

Morphology

common + four-o'clock

The component 'four-o'clock' clearly evokes the time of day (4:00) and 'common' signals an ordinary or widespread item, so a learner could infer this refers to something associated with that time (for example a flower that opens in the late afternoon). However, the phrase is a lexicalized plant name (Mirabilis jalapa) and the specific meaning 'a garden plant' is not fully predictable from the parts alone, so a B1 learner would only partially be able to reconstruct the intended referent without prior exposure.

Etymology

Common four-o'clock gets its name because its flowers often open in the late afternoon, around four o'clock. The blooms then give off a sweet smell, so the name helps you remember the plant by the time of day it 'opens' and 'smells'.