spider orchid
- noun
- /ˈspaɪdər ˈɔrkɪd/
:
orquídea araña
- The garden is filled with beautiful spider orchids that attract many visitors.
Examples
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And that's a rare spider orchid?
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In South America, the spider orchid blooms in vibrant colors, resembling delicate arachnids.
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She was thrilled to discover a rare spider orchid during her hike in the tropical forest.
Synonyms
An orchid with long thin flower parts and yellow or green spiderlike flowers
An orchid from Central America with spiderlike flowers and green bumps
A South American orchid with pale yellow or green flowers that look like spiders
A wild orchid from Australia and New Caledonia with thin, spider-like flowers
A kind of orchid that blooms in spring with green, yellow, or pink petals and a broad brown velvety centre
An orchid that flowers in spring with pale outer petals and a large brown soft middle petal
Surface Forms
Morphology
The noun phrase is transparently compositional: a learner who knows 'spider' and 'orchid' can infer it refers to an orchid that resembles a spider (flowers or shape). This kind of descriptive compound follows common naming patterns across languages and is directly derivable from the constituent meanings, so a B1 learner would understand it without prior exposure.
Etymology
Spider orchid gets its name from the flower's shape: its long, thin petals and other parts spread out like a spider's legs on an orchid, so people said the flower 'looked like' a spider. That's why the name now means any orchid whose flower looks like a spider.
