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sweet goldenrod

sweet goldenrod

9.0
A plant from North America with sweet leaves used to make a calming tea
  • noun
  • /ˈswit ˈɡoʊldənˌrɑd/
  • US
translation icon : solidago
  • The leaves of sweet goldenrod are often brewed into herbal tea for their soothing properties.

Examples

  • Many herbalists recognize sweet goldenrod as a useful plant for traditional remedies.

  • I brewed some sweet goldenrod tea this morning.

  • During the summer, sweet goldenrod brightens meadows with its clusters of yellow flowers.

  • Have you ever tried sweet goldenrod tea?

  • The leaves of sweet goldenrod are often brewed into herbal tea for their soothing properties.

  • Many herbalists recognize sweet goldenrod as a useful plant for traditional remedies.

  • I brewed some sweet goldenrod tea this morning.

Synonyms

Solidago odora
vssweet goldenrod
  • Specialized
9.1

A North American plant with sweet-smelling leaves that people use to make a healing tea

is the everyday common name used for the same plant
Blue Mountain tea
vssweet goldenrod
  • US
8.2

A tea made from the leaves of a plant with yellow flowers that people use as medicine

is native across North America rather than limited to the east

Surface Forms

Morphology

sweet + goldenrod

This is a straightforward adjective + noun composition: 'sweet' (pleasantly scented) modifies 'goldenrod' (a yellow-flowered plant), so the phrase simply denotes a fragrant/pleasant-smelling variety of goldenrod. A B1 learner who knows both words would readily infer this referent (and plausibly its use as a scented/tea plant) because it follows normal English modification patterns.

Etymology

Sweet goldenrod gets its name from its bright yellow flower clusters that look like rods, which gives the goldenrod part, and from the sweet smell of its leaves. People brewed the leaves into a 'tea' used as a simple 'medicine', so the name helps you remember it is a sweet-smelling golden plant used for herbal tea and remedies.