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Glite Dictionary
weeping spruce

weeping spruce

8.1
A medium-sized spruce tree with long hanging branches from California and Oregon
  • noun
  • /ˈwiːpɪŋ spruːs/
  • US
translation icon : pícea llorona
  • The weeping spruce in their backyard is admired for its graceful, cascading branches.

Examples

  • Gardeners often plant weeping spruce to add visual interest to landscapes.

  • The weeping spruce is a beautiful addition to any garden.

  • The nursery specializes in rare conifers, including the striking weeping spruce.

  • I saw a lovely weeping spruce at the park yesterday.

  • The weeping spruce is notable for its long, drooping branches that create a graceful appearance in the garden.

  • Many homeowners in California choose to plant a weeping spruce for its unique shape and lush greenery.

  • The weeping spruce thrives in the coastal regions, making it a popular choice for landscaping in Oregon.

Synonyms

Brewer's spruce
vsweeping spruce
  • US
8.6

A medium-sized spruce tree with hanging branches that grows in California and Oregon

places greater emphasis on a clearly drooping tree appearance
Picea breweriana
vsweeping spruce
  • Specialized
9.9

A medium-sized spruce tree with long hanging branches that grows in California and Oregon

uses a general common label rather than a technical species term

Surface Forms

weeping spruce singular
weeping spruces plural

Morphology

weeping + spruce

The phrase denotes a spruce tree with a 'weeping' (drooping) growth habit, which is directly and predictably composed from 'weeping' (drooping branches) + 'spruce' (a type of tree). This adjective+noun botanical naming pattern is transparent and common cross-linguistically, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents will readily infer the meaning.

Etymology

Weeping spruce gets its name from its branches that hang down and look like they are 'crying'. The word weeping shows the hanging, tear-like branches and spruce names the tree, so the phrase means a spruce with long, hanging branches.