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silky cornel

silky cornel

9.7
A bush with purple stems and blue fruit that grows in eastern North America
  • noun
  • US
translation icon : cornisillo sedoso
  • Gardeners appreciate the silky cornel for its attractive blue fruit and purplish stems.

Examples

  • The silky cornel is often found near wetlands in eastern North America.

  • In autumn, the leaves of the silky cornel turn a striking shade of red.

  • The silky cornel produces beautiful blue fruit.

  • Many gardeners appreciate the silky cornel for its unique stems.

  • Gardeners appreciate the silky cornel for its attractive blue fruit and purplish stems.

  • In autumn, the leaves of the silky cornel turn a striking shade of red.

  • The silky cornel is often found near wetlands in eastern North America.

Synonyms

Cornus amomum
vssilky cornel
  • Specialized
9.9

A shrub with purplish stems and blue berries from eastern North America

is the common name while the other gives an alternate label
silky dogwood
vssilky cornel
  • US
8.5

A bush with purplish stems and blue berries often growing near water

focuses on the shrub without mentioning habitat or silky stem texture

Surface Forms

silky cornel singular
silky cornels plural

Morphology

silky + cornel

This is a straightforward adjective+noun composition where 'silky' describes the quality of the 'cornel' (a type of shrub). A B1 learner who knows both words would reasonably infer it is a kind of cornel with silky characteristics; the detailed botanical traits in the dictionary definition are extra specifics but do not undermine the compositional meaning.

Etymology

Silky cornel gets its name from the plant's soft, silky hairs on young stems (silky) and the old word cornel for a kind of 'dogwood', so the name helps you picture a small shrub with purplish stems and blue fruit.