white willow
- noun
:
sauce blanco
- The white willow features long, slender leaves that shimmer in the sunlight.
- white willow bark
Examples
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The white willow is often found near rivers.
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The white willow stood tall, its silver-grey leaves shimmering in the morning light.
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The bark of the white willow has traditionally been used as a remedy for pain and inflammation.
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We planted a white willow by the riverbank to prevent soil erosion.
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I saw a beautiful white willow in the park.
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The white willow is known for its graceful branches that sway gently by the river.
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In my garden, the white willow provides ample shade during hot summer days.
Synonyms
A large willow tree with grey soft leaves and grey bark that grows near rivers
A large willow tree with silvery leaves and grey bark often grown in parks
A white willow tree from Europe and Asia with grey leaves, upright branches, and flexible wood
A tree with grey leaves whose wood is used to make cricket bats
A European willow with grey leaves and bright yellow twigs that people use for basket making
A North American white willow with pale silky leaves that turn black when dry
Surface Forms
Morphology
This is a straightforward adjectival noun combination: a B1 learner who knows 'white' and 'willow' will infer it refers to a type or variety of willow that is white in appearance (bark or leaves). The meaning is fully compositional and follows common cross-linguistic plant-naming patterns, so no special idiomatic knowledge is required.
Etymology
White willow gets its name from the pale, silvery underside of its leaves and its grey bark, which make the tree look 'white' from a distance. That's why people call this kind of willow a white willow.
