hedge violet

7.6

A small purple wild flower that grows in woods and at field edges

noun

: violeta de seto

The hedge violet adds a splash of purple to woodland paths in early spring.

Examples

Gardeners often admire the delicate appearance of the hedge violet in shaded areas.
Clusters of hedge violets thrive along the hedgerows bordering the old estate.
I found a beautiful hedge violet in the garden.
The hedge violets bloom in early spring.
Clusters of hedge violets thrive along the hedgerows bordering the old estate.
Gardeners often admire the delicate appearance of the hedge violet in shaded areas.
The hedge violet adds a splash of purple to woodland paths in early spring.

Synonyms

Viola reichenbachiana

vshedge violet

9.5

Small wild violet that grows in woods and hedges with heart-shaped leaves and purple flowers

is identified mainly by its common presence in woods and hedgerows rather than leaf shape

Viola sylvatica

vshedge violet

9.9

A small purple wild violet that grows in European woods

is described mainly by being common in those habitats rather than flower color

Surface Forms

hedge violet singular

hedge violets plural

Morphology

hedge + violet

The noun phrase 'hedge violet' is transparently compositional: it denotes a violet (the flower) associated with or growing in hedges, directly derivable from 'hedge' (a row of shrubs) + 'violet' (a small perennial plant). This kind of modifier+noun combination is common cross-linguistically and would be readily understood by a B1 learner who knows both constituent words.

Etymology

Hedge violet comes from the simple image of a small purple flower, the violet, growing in hedges and at the edges of woods. Because people often saw the violet there, the name came to mean 'a common European violet that grows in woods and hedgerows'.