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Glite Dictionary
parrot's bill

parrot's bill

9.9
A plant from New Zealand that stays green all year with beak-shaped red or white flowers
  • noun
  • New Zealand
translation icon : pico de loro
  • Botanists study the unique shape of the parrot's bill flower to understand its pollination.

Examples

  • The parrot's bill is prized for its vibrant scarlet flowers in New Zealand gardens.

  • We saw a stand of parrot's bill along the forest path near Rotorua.

  • The parrot's bill is known for its unique shape.

  • I saw a beautiful parrot's bill in the garden.

  • Botanists study the unique shape of the parrot's bill flower to understand its pollination.

  • The parrot's bill is prized for its vibrant scarlet flowers in New Zealand gardens.

  • We saw a stand of parrot's bill along the forest path near Rotorua.

Synonyms

parrot's beak
vsparrot's bill
  • New Zealand
9.9

An evergreen shrub from New Zealand with claw-shaped red to white flowers

is the other common-name form differing only in naming variant
Clianthus puniceus
vsparrot's bill
  • Specialized
9.9

A shrub from New Zealand with leaves that stay green and red or white claw-shaped flowers like bird beaks

is the common-name phrase that also allows an extra flower-shape description

Surface Forms

parrot's bill singular
parrots' bills plural

Morphology

parrot's + bill

The components 'parrot's' and 'bill' are familiar and would lead a B1 learner to infer a shape or object resembling a parrot's beak, so part of the meaning (beak-shaped) is transparent. However, the specific sense — that this is the name of an evergreen shrub rather than a literal bird part — is not predictable from the words alone, so the expression is only partially transparent.

Etymology

Parrot's bill is named for its bright 'flowers' that look like a parrot's curved bill. So the name describes this evergreen shrub and its beak-like flowers.