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ribgrass

ribgrass

9.9
A common plant with long narrow leaves that have clear veins
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : planta ribete
  • The meadow was full of ribgrass, its long, ribbed leaves swaying gently in the summer breeze.

Examples

  • You can identify ribgrass by its long, narrow leaves with prominent veins.

  • The meadow was full of ribgrass, swaying gently in the summer breeze.

  • Cows often graze on ribgrass because it is common in pastures.

  • The ribgrass grows abundantly in the field.

  • I found some ribgrass near the pond.

  • Cows often graze on ribgrass because it thrives in temperate pastures.

  • You can easily identify ribgrass by its long, narrow leaves that feature prominent ribs.

Synonyms

ribwort
vsribgrass
  • UK
9.9

A small wild plant with long narrow ribbed leaves and a tall flower stalk

is the more technical species label used in scientific descriptions
Plantago lanceolata
vsribgrass
  • Specialized
7.7

A wild plant with long narrow leaves with raised veins that grows in fields and by roads

is the common English label used in general language
English plantain
vsribgrass
8.1

A common wild plant with long narrow ribbed leaves that grows in lawns and roadsides

is the neutral species designation used worldwide
ripple-grass
vsribgrass
  • Specialized
9.9

A common wild plant with long narrow ribbed leaves that grows along roads in cool areas

is the standard botanical description rather than a folk label
7.2

A small wild plant with long narrow leaves that often grows in fields

is the concise species definition used in formal contexts

Surface Forms

ribgrass singular
ribgrasses plural

Morphology

ribgrass = rib + grass (semi-transparent) = rib + grass

Formally analyzable as 'rib' + 'grass', but the term names a specific plantain species rather than a true grass, so the referential meaning is specialized.

Etymology

Ribgrass is easy to remember because it joins rib, meaning 'ridge' or 'vein', and grass to point to the plant's long, narrow leaves with clear ribs. That's why ribgrass is the name for the common plantain you find in pastures, even though it is not a true grass.