Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
water caltrop

water caltrop

9.9
A plant that grows in water and makes a hard horned nut people eat
  • noun
  • /ˈwɔːtər ˈkæltrɑp/
translation icon : castaña de agua
  • The unique horn-like shape of the water caltrop makes it easy to recognize.

Examples

  • The water caltrop is a popular snack during some Asian festivals.

  • Farmers harvest water caltrops from ponds in late autumn.

  • The water caltrop is often found in shallow lakes.

  • Many people enjoy eating water caltrops in salads.

  • Farmers harvest water caltrops from ponds in late autumn.

  • The water caltrop is a popular snack during some Asian festivals.

  • Many people enjoy eating water caltrops in salads.

Synonyms

water chestnut plant
vswater caltrop
  • Specialized
5.6

A water plant with spiky four-part nuts that people eat

is cultivated specifically for its horned edible nut
caltrop
vswater caltrop
9.9

A water plant with hard spiny fruit that people eat

is cultivated mainly for its horned edible nut

Surface Forms

water caltrop singular
water caltrops plural

Morphology

water + caltrop

This is a straightforward noun–noun compound: 'water' (aquatic) modifies 'caltrop' (the plant), so the phrase literally denotes a caltrop that grows in water. The meaning is directly compositional and follows a common modifier+head pattern that a B1 learner who knows both constituents can infer.

Etymology

Water caltrop got its name from an old spiky metal tool called a caltrop. Because the plant's hard, horned seed grows in water and looks like that spike, the name came to mean the 'horned nut' we eat today.