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Glite Dictionary
cow's head

cow's head

9.9
A mushroom with a ridged, pitted cap attached halfway down the stem
  • noun
  • /kaʊz hɛd/
  • UK
translation icon : cabeza de vaca
  • He showed us how to identify a cow's head by its distinct ridged and pitted cap.

Examples

  • During their hike, they found a cow's head growing at the base of a pine tree.

  • The chef added sliced cow's head to the mushroom risotto for an earthy flavor.

  • I found a cow's head in the forest.

  • The cow's heads at the market looked fresh.

  • While foraging for mushrooms, we discovered a cow's head near the fallen logs.

  • The guide explained that a cow's head has a unique ridged cap that makes it easily recognizable.

  • She sliced the cow's head and added it to the stir-fry, enhancing the dish with its rich flavor.

Synonyms

Morchella semilibera
vscow's head
  • Specialized
9.9

A morel mushroom with a ridged, pitted cap attached to the stem about halfway

uses a common name and adds a parenthetical scientific label
half-free morel
vscow's head
  • Specialized
9.6

A mushroom with a bumpy, pitted cap attached to the stem about halfway

is a common name rather than a taxonomic species label

Surface Forms

cow's head singular
cow's heads plural

Morphology

cow's + head

A B1 learner who knows 'cow' and 'head' will most likely interpret 'cow's head' literally as the head of a cow; the specialized mycological meaning 'a type of morel mushroom' cannot be derived from those constituents. This is a conventionalized common-name for a fungus based on resemblance, not a compositional description, so the specific referent is unpredictable for learners.

Etymology

The noun cow's head comes from the mushroom's wrinkled, bumpy cap that looks a bit like a cow's head, so people used that picture as the name for this kind of mushroom.