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Glite Dictionary
deltoid leaf

deltoid leaf

7.5
A leaf shaped like a triangle with a broad base and pointed tip
  • noun
  • /ˈdɛl.tɔɪd liːf/
  • Specialized
translation icon : hoja deltoidea
  • The cottonwood tree is easily identified by its deltoid leaf shape.

Examples

  • The deltoid leaf of the sycamore is both broad and sharply pointed.

  • You can identify the cottonwood tree by its characteristic deltoid leaf that has a broad base and pointed tip.

  • Botanists often describe leaves as ovate, lanceolate, or deltoid leaf depending on their form.

  • The deltoid leaf is easily recognizable.

  • Many plants have a deltoid leaf shape.

  • The deltoid leaf of the sycamore tree is often used in landscaping due to its distinctive shape.

  • In botanical studies, the deltoid leaf is noted for its triangular appearance and is classified among other leaf forms.

Surface Forms

deltoid leaf singular
deltoid leaves plural

Morphology

deltoid + leaf

The meaning is directly compositional: an adjective meaning 'delta-shaped/triangular' plus 'leaf' yields a leaf that is triangular in shape. As an adjective+noun combination following standard descriptive patterns (and with similar constructions in many languages), a learner who knows both constituent meanings can readily infer the MWE's meaning.

Etymology

The noun deltoid leaf comes from the Greek letter delta, which is a triangle. Botanists use deltoid to describe a leaf that looks like that triangle, broad at the base with a point at the tip, so the name means 'triangle-shaped leaf'.