purple willow

7.7

A tree with reddish-purple twigs used for making baskets and leather

noun

: sauce púrpura

The basket was woven from the slender branches of purple willow.

Examples

The bark of the purple willow is traditionally used for tanning leather.
Gardeners often plant purple willow along riverbanks to prevent soil erosion.
Look at that purple willow!
The purple willow adds beauty to the garden.
Gardeners often plant purple willow along riverbanks to prevent soil erosion.
The bark of the purple willow is traditionally used for tanning leather.
The basket was woven from the slender branches of purple willow.

Synonyms

red willow

vspurple willow

1 7.7

A type of willow with reddish stems and flexible branches used for making baskets

is the preferred local name that may be more familiar

Salix purpurea

vspurple willow

Specialized

9.9

A willow that has purple twigs and flexible branches used for basket weaving

is the common everyday name rather than the scientific label

purple osier

vspurple willow

9.9

A small willow with purple twigs used for making baskets

is the general name that does not always stress basketry use

red osier

vspurple willow

9.9

A Eurasian willow with red twigs used for making baskets

is the broader name that does not always highlight craft use

basket willow

vspurple willow

7.4

A willow with long flexible twigs used for making baskets

is the same plant type but not limited to flexible twigs or basketry

Surface Forms

purple willow singular

purple willows plural

Morphology

purple + willow

The meaning 'a willow tree that is purple' is directly and transparently derived from combining 'purple' (the color) with 'willow' (the tree), so a learner who knows both words can infer the referent. This follows a basic adjective + noun compositional pattern common across languages; the botanical specificity (Salix purpurea) is extra information but does not reduce transparency.

Etymology

The name purple willow refers to a willow tree whose twigs and bark look reddish or deep purple. Because people used its bark for tanning and its thin branches for making baskets, the name came to mean 'a type of willow'.