goat grass

9.8

A European grass that grows as a weed and has sharp seeds that can injure farm animals that eat it

noun

: hierba de cabra

To protect their crops, many ranchers try to control the spread of goat grass in their fields.

Examples

The goat grass has sharp seeds that can hurt animals.
Some farmers struggle to control the spread of goat grass in their fields.
Because of its sharp seeds, goat grass can cause mouth injuries to sheep and cattle.
The pasture was overrun with goat grass, making it unsafe for grazing calves.
Farmers often struggle with goat grass in their fields.
Farmers often find that goat grass can harm their livestock because its sharp seeds can puncture their mouths.
The sharp seeds of goat grass can injure grazing animals, making it a serious concern for livestock owners.

Synonyms

Aegilops triuncalis

vsgoat grass

Specialized

9.9

A wild grass that has become a weed with sharp seeds that can hurt sheep and cattle

is the common general name used instead of the formal species name

Surface Forms

goat grass singular

goat grasses plural

Morphology

goat + grass

This is a straightforward compound formed from 'goat' + 'grass' where the first noun modifies the second to denote a type of grass; that compositional pattern (X + noun = a kind of noun) is common and easily understood by learners. While the exact botanical details or the fact that its seeds injure livestock are not predictable, a B1 learner who knows 'goat' and 'grass' will infer it is a kind of grass associated with goats, so the expression is transparent.

Etymology

Goat grass may come from a simple farm picture: farmers saw the goat and the grass together because the plant's sharp seeds would stick into or cut the mouths and skin of animals that eat grass. So, the name points to a 'weed' that can hurt livestock.