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Glite Dictionary
purple saxifrage

purple saxifrage

9.9
A small round plant with bright purple flowers that grows on rocky slopes
  • noun
  • /ˈpɜrpl ˈsæksɪˌfreɪdʒ/
translation icon : saxifraga púrpura
  • The rocky slopes were dotted with blooming purple saxifrage in early spring.

Examples

  • Hikers admired the resilience of purple saxifrage thriving in the harsh alpine climate.

  • Clusters of purple saxifrage added a splash of color to the tundra landscape.

  • The purple saxifrage blooms beautifully in the spring.

  • I saw a purple saxifrage growing in the rocky soil.

  • Clusters of purple saxifrage added a splash of color to the tundra landscape.

  • The rocky slopes were dotted with blooming purple saxifrage in early spring.

  • Hikers admired the resilience of purple saxifrage thriving in the harsh alpine climate.

Synonyms

Saxifraga oppositifolia
vspurple saxifrage
  • Specialized
9.9

A low plant that grows in thick patches on mountain rocks with bright purple-pink flowers

describes a low cushion plant found on rocky areas with reddish-purple flowers

Surface Forms

purple saxifrage singular
purple saxifrages plural

Morphology

purple + saxifrage

This is a straightforward adjective + noun combination meaning 'a saxifrage that is purple', so the overall meaning is directly predictable from 'purple' (the color) and 'saxifrage' (the plant). Such descriptive compounds follow a common compositional pattern in English and other languages, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents would readily understand it.

Etymology

Purple saxifrage is named for purple (the color of its small flowers) and saxifrage, a word from old languages meaning 'rock' and 'to break'. The low, round plant grows in cracks on rocks and seems to push into the stone, so the name helps you remember a small purple plant that lives in rocky places.