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oyster agaric

oyster agaric

8.0
A soft grey mushroom that grows in groups on dead wood and people eat
  • noun
translation icon : seta ostra
  • Clusters of oyster agaric grew on the stump in the damp forest.

Examples

  • The chef sautéed fresh oyster agaric with garlic and parsley for a delightful vegetarian dish.

  • Many foragers collect oyster agaric in the autumn when the mushrooms are most abundant.

  • I found some oyster agaric mushrooms in the forest.

  • Have you ever tried oyster agaric in a stir-fry?

  • Clusters of oyster agaric grew on the stump in the damp forest.

  • Many foragers collect oyster agaric in the autumn when the mushrooms are most abundant.

  • The chef sautéed fresh oyster agaric with garlic and parsley for a delightful vegetarian dish.

Synonyms

oyster mushroom
vsoyster agaric
1 3.2

A soft grey mushroom that grows in flat clusters on dead wood and is used in cooking

emphasizes general physical description rather than culinary use
Pleurotus ostreatus
vsoyster agaric
  • Specialized
6.5

An edible oyster mushroom with a soft grey cap and meaty texture that grows on dead wood

is a broader common description rather than a scientific species name
oyster fungus
vsoyster agaric
3.5

An edible mushroom with a soft grey cap that grows in layers on dead wood

specifies growth on dead wood rather than using decaying wood language

Surface Forms

oyster agaric singular

Morphology

oyster + agaric

The compound is directly compositional: 'agaric' means a type of mushroom and 'oyster' functions as a modifier indicating a mushroom named for its resemblance or association with oysters (as in 'oyster mushroom'). A B1 learner who knows both words would therefore infer it is a kind of mushroom, so the meaning is transparently derived from its parts.

Etymology

Oyster agaric may come from the mushroom's look and the words in its name: the soft, fan-shaped caps look like small oyster shells and they grow in layered clusters on dead wood. The word agaric was an old name for gilled mushrooms, so together the name points to a gilled mushroom that looks like an 'oyster', which is why it refers to this edible forest mushroom.