tree martin
- noun
- Australian
:
martinete
- Unlike other swallows, the tree martin prefers to use natural hollows for breeding.
Examples
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The tree martin is commonly seen perching on wires in rural Australia.
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Many tree martins nest in the cavities of dead trees near rivers.
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The tree martin is known for its agile flight.
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Many tree martins build their nests in old trees.
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Many tree martins nest in the cavities of dead trees near rivers.
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The tree martin is commonly seen perching on wires in rural Australia.
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Unlike other swallows, the tree martin prefers to use natural hollows for breeding.
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly compositional: 'tree' modifies 'martin' to indicate a martin associated with trees, so a learner who knows 'tree' and 'martin' can infer it refers to a bird species that lives or nests in trees. This noun–noun compound follows a common and cross-linguistically familiar pattern, making the sense immediately recoverable for a B1 learner.
Etymology
Tree martin: The noun tree martin names a small swallow that nests in holes in trees. The word martin is a kind of swallow and the word tree shows where it lives, so the name means a martin that makes its 'nest' in tree holes.
