winter purslane
- noun
- /ˈwɪntər ˈpɜrsleɪn/
- Specialized
- He added a handful of winter purslane to the salad for its mild, fresh flavor.
Examples
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Gardeners appreciate winter purslane because it grows well in poor soil and needs little maintenance.
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I added winter purslane to my salad for extra flavor.
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Winter purslane thrives in cool weather and can be harvested throughout the winter months.
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Have you tried winter purslane in your dishes?
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Winter purslane has a crunchy texture and adds a refreshing taste to salads during the colder months.
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Chefs enjoy using winter purslane in dishes because of its versatility and ability to grow in winter.
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You can find winter purslane at local farmers' markets, often sold alongside other fresh greens.
Synonyms
A small green plant with soft round leaves that people eat raw in salads
A small herb with fleshy leaves often eaten raw in salads, called miner's lettuce
Surface Forms
Morphology
The compound is compositionally transparent: 'winter' modifies 'purslane', so the phrase denotes a kind of purslane associated with the winter season (used or available in winter). This noun+noun seasonal modification is a regular, cross-linguistic pattern, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents can infer the meaning.
Etymology
The noun winter purslane names a small, green herb that keeps growing in cold months; it was named for this habit. The name joins winter (because it grows in winter) and purslane (the plant), so it simply means 'a purslane that grows in winter' and explains why people use it as a winter salad herb.