rain tree
- noun
- /reɪn tri/
- Specialized
:
árbol de lluvia
- The beautiful pink flowers of the rain tree attract many butterflies in spring.
Examples
-
The large rain tree in the garden provides shade during the hot afternoons.
-
In the park, families often gather under the rain tree to enjoy picnics.
-
Now right in front of me, there's a golden rain tree that's in its prime looking beautiful.
Synonyms
1
9.9
A large tropical tree with feathery leaves, bright red flower clusters and seed pods cattle eat
1
9.9
A large tropical tree with wide spreading branches and a big leafy top that gives much shade
1
9.3
A large tropical tree with wide branches that give shade and seed pods eaten by animals
A large tropical tree with round red flower clusters and wide shade
A large tropical tree with feathery leaves, pink flower clusters, and seed pods that cattle eat
A large tropical American tree with feathery leaves and red flowers, often called the rain tree
A large tropical tree with a wide spreading top that gives shade and has pink or white flowers
Surface Forms
Morphology
The noun-noun compound is directly compositional: 'rain' modifies 'tree', so it denotes a type of tree associated with rain. A B1 learner who knows 'rain' and 'tree' can infer it is a kind of tree (likely found in rainy areas or with rain-related traits) even if they do not know the exact species.
Etymology
The noun rain tree may come from the way its many small leaves fold in wet weather, so water falls from the branches like little drops of rain under the tree. That's why people called it a rain tree, and today the name refers to this large tropical tree.