common lady's-slipper
- noun
- /ˈkɑːmən ˈleɪdizˌslɪpər/
- US
:
zapato de dama común
- Botanists study the common lady's-slipper because of its distinctive pouch-shaped flower.
Examples
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We saw a field of common lady's-slippers blooming beside the trail in June.
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The common lady's-slipper is protected in some regions due to its rarity.
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The common lady's-slipper blooms in late spring.
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Have you seen a common lady's-slipper lately?
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The common lady's-slipper is celebrated for its beautiful, pouch-like petals that attract pollinators.
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In June, hikers were delighted to spot several common lady's-slippers along the forest path.
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Many gardeners admire the common lady's-slipper for its unique appearance and ecological importance.
Synonyms
A pale pink wild orchid with a pouch-like lip from northeastern America
A pale pink wild orchid with a pouch-like lower petal
A wild orchid with pale pink pouch-shaped flowers that grows in wet places
A wild North American orchid with pale pink and white flowers and a large pouch
Surface Forms
Morphology
common + lady's-slipper
The adjective 'common' is transparent, but the core lexical item 'lady's-slipper' is a conventional name whose literal parts ('lady' + 'slipper') only suggest a slipper-like shape. A B1 learner who knows the constituents might guess an object that looks like a slipper, but would not reliably infer that it is a specific pale-pink wild orchid, so the overall phrase is partially but not fully predictable.
Etymology
Common lady's-slipper gets its name from the flower's hollow petal that looks like a small shoe — a lady's slipper. So the name simply describes 'a wild orchid with a pouch-like petal', and 'common' shows it is the more usual type in some areas.
