nonesuch clover
- noun
- /ˈnʌnˌsʌtʃ ˈkloʊvər/
- UK
- She studied the curved black pods of the nonesuch clover during her botany class.
Examples
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The nonesuch clover blooms in bright yellow, attracting various pollinators.
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The field was dotted with nonesuch clover in early spring.
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Gardeners often use nonesuch clover as ground cover because of its resilience.
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Look at that beautiful nonesuch clover patch!
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I spotted a patch of nonesuch clover in the meadow.
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Many gardeners prefer nonesuch clover for its ability to thrive in poor soil.
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Children love to find the curved black seed pods of nonesuch clover while playing outside.
Synonyms
A small clover plant with yellow flowers often used as the Irish shamrock
A low-growing plant from Europe with small yellow flowers often found in lawns
A low plant with small yellow flowers and curved black seed pods
A low-growing plant with small yellow flowers and curved black seed pods
Surface Forms
Morphology
This is a noun–noun compound naming a type of clover, so a learner who knows 'nonesuch' ("a person or thing with no equal") and 'clover' can infer it refers to an unusual or notable kind of clover (i.e. a specific species). However, the precise botanical details and the established name usage are not predictable from the parts alone and 'nonesuch' is somewhat archaic, so full comprehension of the exact referent requires prior exposure.
Etymology
Nonesuch clover gets its name from the old word nonesuch, which means 'no equal' or 'nothing like it'. People admired this small yellow clover for its bright flowers and its way of covering the ground, so they called it nonesuch to say it was special. That's why the name means a clover that is very special or hard to match.