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Glite Dictionary
rainbow shower

rainbow shower

9.6
A decorative tree from Asia and Hawaii with long groups of cream, orange, or red flowers
  • noun
  • US
translation icon : árbol lluvia de arcoíris
  • Tourists admired the rainbow shower trees lining the boulevard, each covered in vibrant flowers.

Examples

  • The rainbow shower is prized in Hawaiian landscapes for its stunning multicolored blossoms.

  • A rainbow shower can brighten any garden.

  • We planted a rainbow shower in our garden, and it flourished in the summer heat.

  • The rainbow shower tree bloomed beautifully this season.

  • The rainbow shower trees in the park bloom beautifully each spring, attracting many visitors.

  • On our walk, we admired the stunning rainbow shower with its vibrant orange and yellow flowers.

  • In Hawaii, the rainbow shower tree is cherished for its striking clusters of colorful blossoms.

Synonyms

Cassia javonica
vsrainbow shower
  • Specialized
9.9

A garden tree with clusters of cream, orange, or red flowers

is a cultivated hybrid rather than a naturally occurring native

Surface Forms

rainbow shower singular
rainbow showers plural

Morphology

rainbow + shower

Although the parts 'rainbow' and 'shower' have clear literal meanings, a B1 learner who knows those words would most likely interpret 'rainbow shower' as a weather/visual event (a shower with a rainbow) rather than as the name of a specific ornamental tree. The compound is a lexicalized plant name whose meaning ('a deciduous ornamental hybrid tree') is not transparently derivable from its constituents, so learners need prior exposure or lexical knowledge.

Etymology

Rainbow shower may come from the tree's hanging groups of bright flowers that fall like a soft shower of color and look like a living rainbow, so the name refers to a 'tree' covered in many colored blooms.