sagebrush lizard
- noun
- /ˈseɪdʒˌbrʌʃ ˈlɪzərd/
- US
:
lagartija de salvia
- While hiking in Nevada, we spotted a sagebrush lizard basking on a rock.
Examples
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The sagebrush lizard relies on camouflage to avoid predators in its desert habitat.
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Children enjoyed looking for sagebrush lizards among the low bushes during the nature walk.
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The sagebrush lizard is often found basking in the sun.
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Have you seen a sagebrush lizard before?
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Children enjoyed looking for sagebrush lizards among the low bushes during the nature walk.
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The sagebrush lizard relies on camouflage to avoid predators in its desert habitat.
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While hiking in Nevada, we spotted a sagebrush lizard basking on a rock.
Synonyms
A small ground lizard that lives in dry open places in western United States
Surface Forms
Morphology
The compound is directly compositional: 'sagebrush' names the shrub/habitat and 'lizard' names the animal, so a B1 learner who knows both words can infer it denotes a lizard associated with sagebrush. This noun+noun habitat-based naming pattern is common and cross-linguistically transparent, making the meaning accessible without prior exposure.
Etymology
Sagebrush lizard is a simple name that tells you where it lives. Sagebrush is the low bush in dry areas and lizard is the small reptile, so the name means 'a small lizard that lives among sagebrush'.
