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Glite Dictionary
indigo plant

indigo plant

6.1
A small bush with many leaves and purple flowers grown for blue dye
  • noun
  • /ˈɪndɪɡoʊ plænt/
translation icon : planta de índigo
  • The indigo plant thrives in warm climates.

Examples

  • The indigo plant was once widely cultivated in India for its valuable dye.

  • Many traditional textiles are colored using dyes extracted from the indigo plant.

  • Researchers are studying the growth habits of the indigo plant to improve crop yields.

  • Farmers grow the indigo plant for its dye.

  • The artisans used the indigo plant to create vibrant blue natural dyes for their textiles.

  • In her garden, she cultivated the indigo plant to produce dye for her handcrafted fabrics.

  • Farmers in the region harvest the indigo plant for its rich color used in traditional dyeing methods.

Synonyms

indigo
vsindigo plant
1 8.0

A plant with groups of small leaves and purple flowers used to make dye

is the two word form that specifies the plant rather than the dye
Indigofera tinctoria
vsindigo plant
  • Specialized
9.9

A small plant from Asia grown to make blue dye for cloth

is the common name used in everyday contexts rather than the scientific term

Surface Forms

indigo plant singular
indigo plants plural

Morphology

indigo + plant

The meaning 'a plant used as a source of indigo dye' is directly compositional from 'indigo' (the dye/plant name) + 'plant' (a photosynthetic organism). This noun–noun compound follows a regular, cross-linguistically common compounding pattern, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents will readily infer the MWE meaning.

Etymology

The noun indigo plant comes from plants used to make the deep 'blue' 'dye' called indigo. People soaked the leaves in water and the liquid turned blue when it touched the air, so the name means a plant that gives that blue 'dye'.