silver vine
- noun
:
vid plateada
- The large yellow fruits of the silver vine are both decorative and edible.
Examples
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When dried, silver vine can have an effect on cats similar to catnip.
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The silver vine thrives in humid climates and is popular in ornamental gardens across Japan.
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The silver vine grows beautifully in my garden.
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Do you know how to care for silver vines?
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The silver vine thrives in humid climates and is popular in ornamental gardens across Japan.
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The large yellow fruits of the silver vine are both decorative and edible.
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When dried, silver vine can have an effect on cats similar to catnip.
Synonyms
A climbing plant from eastern Asia with yellow edible fruit, leaves with silver-white marks, and a cat-attracting effect like catnip
A climbing plant used for decoration with silvery leaves and small yellow edible fruit
Surface Forms
Morphology
The compound is directly built from 'silver' (silvery appearance) + 'vine' (a climbing plant), so a B1 learner who knows both words will readily infer it denotes a vine with silver-coloured or silver-marked leaves. Specific botanical or cultural details (native range, edible fruit, cat-stimulant effects) are not predictable from the parts, but the core referent is compositional and therefore transparent.
Etymology
The plant name silver vine comes from the pale, silver-looking marks on its leaves and from the fact that it grows as a climbing vine, so the words describe how the plant looks. People also found that dried silver vine often excites cats like catnip, so the name now brings to mind both its appearance and its use.
