gardening knife

3.4

A small sharp tool gardeners use to cut plants and roots

noun
/ˈɡɑrdənɪŋ naɪf/

: cuchillo de jardinería

She used a gardening knife to trim the overgrown roots of the plant.

Examples

With a sharp gardening knife, he cut back the old branches before spring arrived.
I bought a new gardening knife yesterday.
A gardening knife is an essential tool for any serious gardener.
The gardening knife is perfect for trimming roots.
She used a gardening knife to trim the overgrown roots of the plant.
With a sharp gardening knife, he cut back the old branches before spring arrived.
The gardening knife is perfect for trimming roots.

Synonyms

knife

vsgardening knife

NSFW

∞ 1.0

A tool with a sharp blade and handle used for cutting or as a weapon

is specialised for cutting plants and roots in outdoor plant care

garden tool

vsgardening knife

2 1.0

A tool used to work in a garden, like a spade or rake

is a specific sharp implement used mainly to cut plants and roots

pruning knife

vsgardening knife

4.7

A small tool with a curved blade for cutting and trimming plants

is a more general plant cutting implement not limited to a hooked blade

How Specialized

pruning knife

4.7

gardening knife

3.4

cutting tool

2 3.1

Surface Forms

gardening knife singular

gardening knives plural

Morphology

gardening + knife

The meaning 'a knife used for gardening tasks' is directly derivable from combining 'gardening' (garden cultivation) with 'knife' (a cutting tool); it is a straightforward noun–noun compound where the first noun modifies the head noun. This compositional pattern is common in English and many other languages, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents will readily understand the MWE.

Etymology

The noun gardening knife comes from the simple idea of a gardening knife, a small sharp blade you hold to cut roots, stems or to work the soil. So, it means 'a knife specially used for gardening tasks'.