mimosa bush
1
7.5
- noun
- /mɪˈmoʊsə bʌʃ/
- US
- Perfume makers value the mimosa bush for its pleasant-smelling flowers.
Examples
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Its mimosa bush was covered in bright yellow, fragrant blossoms all spring.
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The mimosa bush thrived in the warm, humid climate of the botanical garden.
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The mimosa bush bloomed beautifully in the garden.
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Many gardeners love the mimosa bushes for their vibrant flowers.
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Perfume makers value the mimosa bush for its pleasant-smelling flowers.
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Its mimosa bush was covered in bright yellow, fragrant blossoms all spring.
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The mimosa bush thrived in the warm, humid climate of the botanical garden.
Synonyms
1
8.4
A thorny bush or small tree from warm regions with fragrant yellow flowers used to make perfume
1
9.9
A small thorny tree with scented yellow flowers used in perfume
1
9.9
A small thorny tree with sweet yellow flowers used to make perfume
1
8.1
A small tree or bush with thorns and sweet-smelling yellow flowers that people use to make perfume
A thorny shrub or small tree with fragrant yellow flowers used to make perfume
A thorny tropical shrub or small tree with sweet yellow flowers used in perfume
How Fragrant
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase 'mimosa bush' is a straightforward noun + noun composition meaning 'a bush of the mimosa plant'; its sense is directly derivable from 'mimosa' (the plant) and 'bush' (a small woody plant). There is no idiomatic or metaphorical shift and the construction follows a common, cross-linguistically transparent modifier-head pattern, so a learner who knows both words would understand the MWE.
Etymology
The compound noun mimosa bush comes from the plant name mimosa, which one popular story says comes from a Greek word for 'actor' because some mimosa plants fold their leaves as if they are 'shy'. So the name mimosa bush makes us think of a small shrub with bright yellow, sweet-smelling flowers that perfume makers often use.