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Glite Dictionary
cypress spurge

cypress spurge

9.5
A plant that lives many years with narrow leaves like a cypress, often a weed
  • noun
  • /ˈsaɪprəs spɜrdʒ/
  • UK
translation icon : euforbia cipresina
  • Cypress spurge can quickly spread throughout lawns and gardens, making it difficult to control.

Examples

  • The narrow, needle-like leaves of cypress spurge easily distinguish it from other weeds.

  • Many gardeners try to remove cypress spurge because it can be toxic to pets if ingested.

  • The cypress spurge is known for its bright yellow flowers.

  • Many gardeners consider cypress spurge a nuisance.

  • Many gardeners try to remove cypress spurge because it can quickly take over their flower beds.

  • The narrow, needle-like leaves of cypress spurge make it easy to identify among other plants.

  • Due to its invasive nature, cypress spurge is often regarded as a weed in North America.

Synonyms

Euphorbia cyparissias
vscypress spurge
  • UK
9.9

A small plant with thin cypress-like leaves that often grows as a weed

is the common everyday name used outside scientific contexts

Surface Forms

cypress spurge singular
cypress spurges plural

Morphology

cypress + spurge

The compound 'cypress spurge' denotes a spurge (a plant) that is cypress-like in appearance, so its meaning is directly derivable from combining 'cypress' and 'spurge'. This descriptive botanical naming follows regular composition patterns and would be understandable to a B1 learner who knows the two constituent words.

Etymology

Cypress spurge was named for how it looks: its narrow, needle-like leaves reminded people of a small cypress tree, and it is in the spurge family of plants. That's why the name helps you remember it is a spurge with cypress-like leaves and often a common 'weed'.