giant helleborine

9.9

A large wild orchid with greenish-brown and pinkish flowers that grows near streams or ponds

noun

: helleborina gigante

The giant helleborine thrives in moist woodlands along mountain streams.

Examples

Local conservationists are working to protect the habitat of the rare giant helleborine in the region.
Botanists documented dozens of giant helleborine plants blooming near the river in early summer.
Look at that giant helleborine!
The giant helleborine blooms near the stream.
Botanists documented dozens of giant helleborine plants blooming near the river in early summer.
Local conservationists are working to protect the habitat of the rare giant helleborine in the region.
The giant helleborine thrives in moist woodlands along mountain streams.

Synonyms

Epipactis gigantea

vsgiant helleborine

Specialized

9.9

A tall wild orchid that grows along streams and ponds in western North America with greenish-brown and pinkish flowers

is the common name used instead of the scientific label

stream orchid

vsgiant helleborine

8.1

An orchid that grows along streams or ponds in western North America with leafy stems and greenish-brown and pinkish flowers

specifies that flowers grow singly in the upper leaf axils

Surface Forms

giant helleborine singular

giant helleborines plural

Morphology

giant + helleborine

The phrase is a straightforward adjective+noun composition: 'giant' (very large) modifies 'helleborine' (a type of orchid), so the meaning is simply a large helleborine. This follows standard English noun phrase semantics and is directly inferable by a B1 learner who knows both constituent words.

Etymology

Giant helleborine comes from the plant's look: helleborine means 'like a hellebore', a different wild flower, and giant shows this species is larger than other helleborines, so the name helps you think of a big orchid often found near streams and wet woods.