hedge thorn
1
9.9
- noun
- South African
- The farmer planted a row of hedge thorn along the property to keep animals out.
Examples
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The hedge thorn produces plumlike fruit that attracts local birds.
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The hedge thorn provides excellent privacy in gardens.
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As a natural barrier, hedge thorn is both effective and attractive.
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Many gardeners choose hedge thorns for their durability.
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The hedge thorn produces plumlike fruit that attracts local birds.
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The farmer planted a row of hedge thorn along the property to keep animals out.
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As a natural barrier, hedge thorn is both effective and attractive.
Synonyms
3
2.9
A bush with many sharp points that often forms a thick barrier
1
9.6
A large evergreen shrub from South Africa with shiny leaves, thorny branches, and red fruit used as a hedge
1
9.9
A large South African bush with glossy leaves, sharp spines, and edible fruit
A South African shrub with forked thorns and small plum-like fruit used for hedging
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly compositional: combining 'hedge' (a planted row of shrubs used as a fence) with 'thorn' (a sharp pointed projection) yields a thorny shrub used for hedging. This noun–noun compound follows a common, cross-linguistic naming pattern for plants, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents can readily infer the MWE's meaning.
Etymology
The noun hedge thorn comes from a simple picture: farmers planted this thorny shrub in a row to make a hedge, and its sharp thorns formed a fence that kept animals out. So the name shows the plant is used 'for hedging' as a natural 'barrier', and its plumlike fruit also attracts birds.