purple avens
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9.1
- noun
- /ˈpɜrpl ˈævənz/
- Common plants include sweet flag, water plantain, purple avens, blue iris, marsh marigold, sundrops, water smartweed, and several kinds of white-flowered aster.
Examples
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The garden was filled with colorful flowers, including purple avens that bloomed vibrantly in the sunlight.
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During our hike, we spotted purple avens among the lush greenery, adding a touch of color to the landscape.
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In northern temperate regions, purple avens can often be seen growing alongside other wildflowers.
Synonyms
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9.9
A wildflower with purple flowers and feathery seed plumes found on grassland
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9.9
Plants with divided leaves and bright flowers that come back each year
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9.9
A small wild plant with nodding orange-pink flowers that grows in wet places
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9.9
A plant that lives for many years with divided leaves and brown-purple and orange flowers that hang down
A long-lived wildflower that grows in wet meadows with nodding brown-purple flower cups and orange-pink petals
A plant that lives for several years with divided leaves and hanging brown-purple and orange-pink flowers
A North American plant with hairy divided leaves, purple flowers, and fluffy seed heads
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase is a straightforward adjective + noun combination: 'purple' describes the color and 'avens' names the plant, so the meaning (avens that are purple) is directly derivable from the parts. Color + plant noun constructions are cross-linguistically common and follow normal English composition, so a B1 learner who knows both words would understand it.
Etymology
Purple avens is a simple name: purple shows the flower's color and avens is the old common name for this small, nodding group of flowers. So the name tells you it is a 'plant' with purple, showy blooms.